DeSantis continues to dodge questions about when he will announce a presidential bid
DeSantis continues to dodge questions about when he will announce a presidential bid; jokingly, he says the trip to Iowa was “the first indication that we have a great book that people are buying” as reports surface that he could launch an offer in May.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said his visit to Iowa was just one stop on his book tour.
- He declined to say when or if he will launch a presidential bid.
- DeSantis’ trip to the first primary state in the nation is fueling speculation that he will launch his 2024 campaign soon.
Ron DeSantis gives no hint of a timeline for when he might announce a presidential run, and he still dodges questions about whether he’ll make a bid despite recent visits to swing states Iowa and Nevada.
The Florida governor would not tell Fox’s Sunday Morning Futures if his trip to Iowa on Friday was an indication that he is about to make an offer.
Recent reports speculate that DeSantis is considering announcing an offer in mid-to-late May, which is when Florida’s legislative session ends. The supermajority session with Florida’s Republican legislature is likely to hand the governor a series of victories when it comes to his ‘anti-wake’ agenda.
‘Governor, you made a stop in Iowa this weekend. As was? Was this the first indication that he is running for president? asked the presenter of Fox, María Bartiromo.
“It’s a first indication that we have a great book that people are buying, we had a lot of interest,” DeSantis laughed.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said his visit to Iowa was “an early indication that we have a great book that people are buying” when asked if the trip could be seen as a hint that he will run for president.
DeSantis’ trip to the first primary state in the nation is fueling speculation that he will soon launch a 2024 presidential bid. Pictured: DeSantis signs books at his tour stop in Des Moines, Iowa, on Friday, January 10. March.
When DeSantis was asked by reports if he plans to announce his candidacy, he jokingly responded with, ‘Wouldn’t you like to know?’
DeSantis’ book tour in recent weeks has largely been seen as a pre-announcement campaign shift, with events reflecting political rallies rather than discussions of his memoir.
Commenting on The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival, DeSantis talks about how America should reflect what it has implemented in the Sunshine State over the past several years for greater economic and educational success.
His book, which was an instant bestseller, is considered what most can expect from a DeSantis 2024 presidential campaign platform.
After the release of his memoir late last month, DeSantis launched a book tour with stops in the deep blue of Southern California, the first primary-contest state in the nation of Iowa and the swing state of Nevada. He also held an event in his home state of Tampa, Florida on Thursday.
All events were well attended by crowds enthusiastic about DeSantis making a bid for the White House.
Many feel the book tour is filled with events more indicative of pre-announcement political rallies. Pictured: An attendee on Friday holds up a copy of DeSantis’ best-selling new book The Courage to Be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival
“Governor Kim Reynolds is a friend of mine and I often tell people that when they ask me in Florida who else has done a good job, I always tell them to look at what Iowa has done,” DeSantis told Fox News. “They’ve done a lot of the things that Florida has done, they have a great legislature.”
Four different PACs have emerged encouraging the governor to run for president, including one led by former top Trump official Ken Cuccinelli.
Florida was once seen as a key swing state for presidential elections, but it has turned deeply red since DeSantis first took office in 2018 with the help of former President Donald Trump’s coattails.
Trump has said an announcement of a DeSantis offer would be highly “unfair” and noted that it would not have been successful had it not been for his endorsement in 2018.