Despite President Trump’s efforts to scare off Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis from running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, DeSantis appears to be moving forward and, according to a report from ABC News, is expected to skip the pointless gesture of an exploratory committee and launch his campaign.
“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is moving more aggressively toward making his 2024 presidential campaign official, with sources telling ABC News the governor’s team is leaning toward skipping the launch of an exploratory committee altogether and is instead expected to launch a full presidential campaign next month,” ABC News reported Friday night. “The decision to skip the exploratory committee comes as DeSantis caps off an aggressive legislative session that saw him push a hard-line conservative agenda and dive head-first into numerous culture wars, while facing increasing attacks from his likely opponent, former President Donald Trump.”
Related: Trump’s Primary Support Is Weaker Than It Looks. Here’s Why.
Sources told the network that DeSantis is skipping the exploratory committee because he is “itching” to present his achievements to voters and counter President Trump’s attacks.
DeSantis will enter the race with just months to go until the first Republican primary debate — and although he has yet to formally announce, his team has already quietly begun debate prep, sources familiar with the preparations have told ABC News, including reviewing past debate performances.
Sources said earlier this week that Trump plans to skip one or both of the first two Republican primary debates. But those close to DeSantis emphasized that they are preparing for either scenario, and are skeptical that the pair would not ultimately face off on the debate stage.
Entering the race at this point is a risky move for DeSantis. Donald Trump has a large lead in the polls and has racked up a slew of endorsements, leading many to believe that DeSantis’s window of opportunity has passed. But, while Trump looks well positioned to run away with the nomination, his primary support is not as strong as the media claims it is.
The majority of his support comes from the 49% of GOP primary voters who would consider Trump or another candidate, meaning much of his current support comes from uncommitted GOP primary voters who may not necessarily support him later on — hence the reason that Trump has been trying to dissuade DeSantis from running, while seemingly not being at all perturbed by other Republicans who have already jumped into the race or are considering doing so.
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