Thursday May 25, 2023
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has filed the necessary paperwork to launch his 2024 presidential campaign, setting the stage for a potentially bitter showdown with former President Donald Trump. The move signals the start of 18 months of intense competition as the two Republicans vie for the party's nomination.
Despite being considered a rising star within the Republican Party, DeSantis has faced relentless attacks from Trump that have taken a toll on his political standing. Trump, despite being embroiled in criminal investigations, has skyrocketed in popularity, leaving DeSantis caught off guard.
The 44-year-old governor submitted his candidacy documents to the Federal Election Commission just hours before the planned announcement, which was a live interview with billionaire Elon Musk on the audio platform Twitter. The launch was accompanied by a video from the pro-DeSantis organization Never Back Down of his November 2022 election victory speech, declaring that "Florida is where revival will die."
The announcement came ahead of a three-day retreat in Miami where major DeSantis donors gathered to receive campaign briefings. After the retreat, the governor plans to visit several early voting states to further promote his campaign.
Considered the most viable challenger to Trump, DeSantis enjoys some level of recognition in the Republican field but lacks the national profile the former president commands. The launch format gives him a unique advantage by giving him access to Elon Musk's massive fan base, many of whom belong to Trump's base. If he secures the nomination, DeSantis hopes to capture the attention of younger and less conservative voters, which could be crucial to his White House aspirations.
During his tenure as Florida governor, DeSantis focused on bolstering his conservative credentials. He has signed a number of state bills, including measures aimed at "woke indoctrination" in schools and public institutions, restrictions on discussion of gender identity and sexual orientation, cuts to funding to promote diversity at universities, and strict abortion laws.
However, DeSantis faces an uphill battle as his popularity declines due to policy mistakes. Bridging the substantial gap between him and Trump, who maintains a significant lead despite his legal troubles, will be a daunting task.
Behind the scenes, both the Trump and DeSantis camps are jockeying for political support from state lawmakers, while Florida's congressional delegation has largely sided with Trump. Elon Musk, a known admirer of DeSantis, hosted the campaign launch event, but made it clear that Twitter's neutrality on the nomination should not be misconstrued as an endorsement.
In response to DeSantis' announcement, Trump showed relative restraint, simply sharing the favorable polls on his own social media platform, Truth Social. A Trump aide noted that DeSantis was comfortable with the Twitter announcement, allowing him to avoid direct interaction and questions from the media.
