Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ landslide victory Tuesday night raised talk of a 2024 presidential bid and put him on a collision course with Donald Trump.
He defeated his Democratic challenger, Charlie Crist, by at least 19 points — in sharp contrast to his first gubernatorial race four years earlier, when he had a victory of less than one percent.
DeSantis, 44, didn’t indicate what his political future held, but when his supporters chanted “two more years, two more years” at his victory party Monday night, he smiled.
All political eyes will be watching him to see if he launches a presidential bid. Some Republicans have already begun to switch allegiances.
“This was the end of the Trump era and the dawn of the DeSantis era,” said a Republican activist close to Trump’s orbit. hv news. Like every other Trump disaster, he did it himself with stupid and reckless decisions.
Impressively in Tuesday’s contest, DeSantis turned the blue areas of the Sunshine State red. He won double digits in Hispanic Miami-Dade County, carried the Palm Beach Democrat, and even secured the Trump vote.
This may be the last time the former president can be relied upon to verify his name at the ballot box.
Trump takes credit for DeSantis’ meteoric rise in the GOP, but as speculation mounts in 2024, he’s also issued a series of warning shots to his now enemy.
Ron DeSantis’ landslide victory in the Florida gubernatorial contest propelled him to the top of the pack in the GOP presidential nomination in 2024; Above DeSantis with wife Casey and children Madison, Mason, and Mamie
DeSantis defeated his Democratic rival, Charlie Crist, by at least 19 points — a sharp contrast to his first gubernatorial race four years ago, when he had a victory of less than one percent.
The Florida governor, 44, didn’t indicate what his political future held, but when his supporters chanted “two more years, two more years” at his victory party Monday night, he smiled.
vote
Would you support Ron DeSantis as the 2024 GOP Presidential Candidate?
- Yes 185 votes
- no 27 votes
The former president reminds people that it was his endorsement of DeSantis that propelled the then-congressman to victory in the crowded 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary.
“As soon as I endorsed him, in a matter of moments, the race was over,” Trump told the News Nation. I got the nomination. He didn’t get it. I got it, because the moment I gave that endorsement, he got it.
But, privately, Trump has taken offense about DeSantis, who has modeled his political career in many ways after Trump’s. Both men have railed against the establishment to make their mark, have two photogenic wives, and have boosted their appeal to the GOP base.
One of Trump’s advisers told CNN he was “furious” and “yelling at everyone,” after the disappointing results Tuesday night for Republicans, who didn’t get the red wave of victories they expected.
Trump said that if DeSantis does run, he will lose things he knows about the governor. He even indicated that DeSantis’ wife Casey would be the target of his wrath.
“If he runs, he runs,” Trump said.
He added, “If he runs, I’ll tell you things you won’t be so grateful for.” I know more about him than anyone other than his wife, who really runs his campaign.
Trump has never been shy about attacking his rivals or their families. During the 2016 Republican primary, Trump mocked Marco Rubio as “Little Marco” and attacked Ted Cruz’s wife Heidi over her appearance.
He’s already trying out for the Florida governor’s titles.
He called him “Ron DeSantimonius” at a political rally in Miami on Monday, but then, on Tuesday, he said he voted for DeSantis when he cast his ballot in Palm Beach.
When asked about the 2024 contest, DeSantis said he is focused on his re-election campaign.
But in his victory speech, he bragged about turning Florida from a coastal state into one in the Republican column.
“The people have passed their verdict: freedom is here to stay,” he said. Now, thanks to the overwhelming support of the people of Florida, we not only won this election; we rewrote the political map.
We have seen freedom and our way of life in many other jurisdictions in this country fade into the vine. “Florida held the line,” DeSantis said to cheers during his victory speech
Donald Trump takes credit for DeSantis’ rapid rise in the GOP, but as speculation mounts in 2024, he’s also issued a series of warning shots to his enemy (pictured together at a campaign rally in October, 2018)
DeSantis rose to national prominence during the COVID pandemic when he reopened schools and businesses at a time when medical experts were calling for closures. The governor also banned the issuance of mask and vaccine passports.
The moves made him a star among conservatives. He also tapped into other causes that appealed to the right: the passage of legislation banning schools from teaching young children about sexual orientation and gender identity, which brought him into major conflict with Disney.
and pay for shipping immigrants from the southern border to Democratic strongholds like New York City and Martha’s Vineyard.
All of which boosted his fundraising.
DeSantis raised $196 million for his re-election. He spent $130 million and still has $66 million left, according to campaign finance reports.
