Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ Unsuccessful Bid for the 2024 Republican Presidential Nomination

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a rising star in the Republican Party, suspended his presidential campaign on January 21, 2024, citing a lack of a clear path to victory. The announcement came just two days before the New Hampshire primary, where he had placed a distant second in Iowa and failed to articulate a convincing argument for voters to pick him over former President Donald Trump.

DeSantis’ decision to leave the race was the result of a fierce debate within his inner circle over his path forward. Some advisors argued that he should stay in the race through Super Tuesday and try to collect delegates, while others pointed out that his financial resources were dwindling and a single-digit performance in New Hampshire would undermine his argument for future runs. Ultimately, DeSantis decided to leave the race now to keep his political capital alive for 2028 and avoid being perceived as clearing the runway for former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in New Hampshire.

DeSantis’ campaign had struggled since his glitchy launch on X (formerly Twitter) “spaces” in May 2023. He pitched himself as a more effective figure to implement some of Trump’s policies on immigration and curbing government spending, but his record in Florida was an anchor of his candidacy. His response during the COVID-19 pandemic and legislative record on taxes, handling of the state’s budget, and six-week abortion ban were often points of contention.

Despite his 20-point re-election win in Florida, DeSantis failed to establish himself as the clear Trump alternative, especially as Haley saw a rise in the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire after her strong debate performances in the late summer and fall. Trump’s campaign and allies spent millions on anti-DeSantis ads and trolled him on his personality, footwear, and internal dysfunction with his campaign.

DeSantis’ campaign appeared to be overspending early on, straining its financial resources and cutting staff heading into the fall of 2023. The campaign struggled to generate high fundraising numbers throughout the campaign, especially as Haley won support from GOP donors looking for a non-Trump candidate.

A pro-DeSantis super PAC, “Never Back Down,” had an outsized role in the campaign, running the grassroots operations and door knocking in the early states. However, the super PAC saw a high-profile turnover of leadership in November and December due to conflicts over advertising strategy, increased involvement on the PAC’s board from DeSantis loyalists from Tallahassee, and overall frustration with the governor’s position in the polls. The heavy involvement by Never Back Down prompted a formal complaint to be filed by the Campaign Legal Center.

Despite his arguments that he could whittle the race down to a two-person matchup against Trump, DeSantis failed to establish himself as the clear Trump alternative. He saw his polling gap with Trump in the early states widen as the former president went on the attack against him, claiming he was disloyal and disparaging him as “DeSanctimonious.”

DeSantis’ campaign had also been overspending early on, straining its financial resources and cutting staff heading into the fall of 2023. The campaign struggled to generate high fundraising numbers throughout the campaign, especially as Haley won support from GOP donors looking for a non-Trump candidate.

Throughout his run, a pro-DeSantis super PAC, “Never Back Down,” had an outsized role in the campaign, running the grassroots operations and door knocking in the early states. However, the super PAC saw a high-profile turnover of leadership in November and December due to conflicts over advertising strategy, increased involvement on the PAC’s board from DeSantis loyalists from Tallahassee, and overall frustration with the governor’s position in the polls. The heavy involvement by Never Back Down prompted a formal complaint to be filed by the Campaign Legal Center.

Legally, campaigns and super PACs cannot coordinate because super PACs are not subject to any fundraising limits. The heavy involvement by Never Back Down prompted a formal complaint to be filed by the Campaign Legal Center.

DeSantis’ supporters, who made up around 3% to 5% of the state’s primary voters, were urged to support Trump in order to help him top 50% on Tuesday and secure a victory in the New Hampshire primary. Trump hopes to win the New Hampshire primary with over 50% of the votes and a 12- to 15-point margin over Haley.

DeSantis, who is privately determined to repair his ties with any angry or frustrated members of the Trump movement over the next few years, sees 2028 as a potential opportunity for a future run. However, he is wary of being perceived as anti-Trump and is working to mend any fractured relationships within the party.

In an interview on New Hampshire radio, DeSantis was asked whether he should have waited until 2028 to launch a run, to which he replied, “I don’t know what 2028 is gonna look like. I may not have the calling then. I had the calling now. I think the party supporting me would lead to great results over an eight-year period.”

“Obviously with Trump in, it’s more difficult,” he added.

In conclusion, Ron DeSantis’ bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination was unsuccessful due to a lack of a clear path to victory and Trump’s formidable presence in the race. Despite his strong record in Florida and arguments that he could implement some of Trump’s policies effectively, DeSantis failed to establish himself as the clear Trump alternative and struggled to generate high fundraising numbers throughout the campaign. Ultimately, his decision to leave the race now was driven by a desire to keep his political capital alive for 2028 and avoid being perceived as clearing the runway for Nikki Haley in New Hampshire.