Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially halted his Republican US presidential campaign just before the New Hampshire primary, throwing his support behind Donald Trump. This move signals the conclusion of a White House bid that fell short of expectations, with DeSantis unable to emerge as a formidable challenger to the former president.
DeSantis’s Critical Video Message on X
In a video posted on X on Sunday, DeSantis acknowledged that the majority of Republican primary voters lean towards giving Donald Trump another chance. The New Hampshire primary, being the first in the United States, is set to take place on Tuesday.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 21, 2024
– Winston Churchill pic.twitter.com/ECoR8YeiMm
DeSantis openly criticized former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, his primary rival for second place, asserting that Republicans shouldn’t revert to the outdated Republican guard represented by Nikki Haley—a form of repackaged corporatism from the past.
Although DeSantis entered the 2024 presidential contest with significant advantages, including a substantial political fortune exceeding $100 million and a noteworthy legislative record on conservative issues, these advantages failed to withstand the realities of the 2024 presidential politics.
From a high-profile campaign announcement marred by technical glitches to ongoing disruptions in his staff and campaign strategy, DeSantis struggled to establish a solid footing in the primary. His loss in the Iowa caucuses, where he had pledged victory, was substantial, with Trump securing a 30 percentage point lead.
Now, with DeSantis suspending his presidential bid after just one voting contest, questions arise about his political future, especially considering his term limitation as Florida’s governor.
DeSantis, who was initially anticipated to be a serious challenger to Trump, faced relentless attacks from Trump himself in the months leading up to DeSantis’s announcement of his candidacy. However, some of DeSantis’s challenges appeared to be self-inflicted.
Fueled by his dominant Florida re-election in 2022, DeSantis departed from tradition by announcing his presidential campaign on X, engaging in a conversation on the social media site with CEO Elon Musk. Unfortunately, technical issues during this conversation made it nearly impossible to hear his opening remarks as a presidential candidate.
Over subsequent weeks and months, DeSantis struggled to connect with voters on a personal level. His decision to decline questions from voters during his inaugural visit to New Hampshire, contrary to tradition in the state, irked some Republican officials. Additionally, uncomfortable interactions with voters in other states were captured on camera.
Further complicating matters were serious financial challenges that surfaced over the summer. By the end of July, DeSantis had laid off nearly 40 employees, aiming to cut roughly one-third of his campaign payroll. These cuts followed public filings revealing that he was depleting his substantial campaign funds at an unsustainable rate.
Some individuals seeking an alternative to Trump threw their support behind Nikki Haley, the former diplomat and South Carolina governor, who had gained popularity among Republican donors, independent voters, and the so-called Never Trump crowd.
DeSantis and Haley engaged in frequent attacks on each other in debates and advertising, often more direct than those aimed at Trump.
Amid internal financial concerns, DeSantis turned aggressively to an allied super PAC to handle basic campaign functions, such as organizing events, advertising, and an extensive door-knocking operation. However, federal law prohibits direct coordination between campaigns and super PACs.
In December, a non-partisan government watchdog group filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that the coordination and communication between DeSantis’s campaign and the Never Back Down super PAC crossed legal boundaries. DeSantis vehemently denied any wrongdoing, dismissing the complaint as a “farce.”
Despite being initially considered a major strength, DeSantis’s donor network and potential supporters became increasingly skeptical due to a continuous stream of negative developments leading up to the opening primary contests. This led to a stagnation of his polling numbers and caused DeSantis and his allies to retract their multistate strategy and focus almost all of their resources on Iowa’s opening caucuses.
DeSantis has withdrawn from the 2024 presidential race and is now focusing on his remaining term as Florida’s governor, which ends in January 2027.