Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially put an end to his 2024 Presidential aspirations. On Sunday, he made the announcement, suspending his campaign and delivering a robust endorsement of Donald Trump, albeit with some mixed sentiments.
The decision came on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, scheduled for Tuesday.
In a video posted on X, the same platform where he launched his White House bid, DeSantis expressed his thoughts. He acknowledged the challenges, stating, “Now, following our second-place finish in Iowa, we’ve prayed and deliberated on the way forward.” Despite a willingness to do more to secure victory, he recognized the lack of a clear path and made the decision to suspend his campaign.
DeSantis, who had previously criticized Trump during the primaries, conceded that Trump was the preferred choice of the majority of Republican voters. He emphasized, “It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance.”
Surprisingly, DeSantis threw his support behind Trump, targeting the establishment wing of the party, symbolized by Nikki Haley. He stated, “He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”
Following Iowa, there were conflicting signals from DeSantis’s campaign, causing confusion among voters, donors, and aides. The governor’s movements between South Carolina and New Hampshire added to the uncertainty about his campaign’s future.
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The cancellation of a scheduled NBC Meet the Press appearance on Sunday fueled speculation. Later that day, DeSantis’s decision to suspend the campaign became apparent.
Notably, some Trump allies, including Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz, had anticipated the move. Gaetz hinted at a Trump rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, saying, “We might get Ron DeSantis back onside pretty soon.”
Despite being critical of Trump during the campaign, particularly on issues like the new FBI building, abortion, and the pandemic, DeSantis ultimately backed Trump, emphasizing the need to avoid reverting to the old Republican establishment.
