American politics can be unpredictable, with candidates making unimaginable moves, and many would ask, “Did Ron DeSantis drop out of the presidential race?”
The 46th governor of Florida is a Republican Party Member and has been a representative in various capacities.
Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Nikii Harley, and Viveck Ramaswamy have been influential in the Republican Party, each backed by several delegates for the nomination. Finding a republican candidate for the 2024 general elections has not been easy.
Stiff competition, controversies, idealogical alignment, endorsements, and media coverage are some factors that have been the center of nomination.
So, “Did Ron DeSantis Drop Out of the Presidential Race?
Yes, Ron DeSantis dropped out of the presidential race on 21st January, posting his surrender of the 2024 White House race on X. The decision came after his Iowa Caucuses loss, during which he bagged nine delegates.
His departure leaves Trump and Haley as the remaining potential Republican flag-bearers for the race.
Continue reading to learn more about Ron DeSantis’s race for the nomination and the reasons for dropping out.
Ron DeSantis on Dropping Out of the Race
The Florida governor stated there wasn’t a clear victory path and didn’t want his supporters to donate and toil with such uncertainty. He also recognized Trump’s popularity amongst Republicans as a key driver for his campaign’s suspension.
DeSantis also said he’ll honor his pledge to support the Republican nominee. Nonetheless, he rallied his support behind the former president, following in the footsteps of earlier surrenders, governor Burgum, entrepreneur Ramaswamy, and Senator Scott.
Was DeSantis Trump’s Closest Competitor for Republican Nominee?
Many viewed DeSantis as the opponent with the best shot at deterring Trump from winning the nominee position a third time. National polls placed him second, with only a 2% gap behind the former president.
That hope was largely due to his Trump-like policies but without the latter’s federal troubles and other drama which could cost Republicans the presidency.
The congressman’s campaign seemed promising, with huge fundraising to support his bid. DeSantis and his supporters raised $8.2 million on the first day after his announcement.
The first two months total was $20 million, $1.7 million ahead of Trump’s figure. This was in the starting two quarters for his 2024 candidature.
Despite having a strong campaign structure, his candidature started on the wrong footing, with Twitter glitching during the launch event.
The technical issues overshadowed his message, eliciting responses from various political personnel. President Biden, for example, exploited the opportunity to advertise his campaign with a message that his link worked.
Physical campaigns started in Iowa, followed by visits to early-voting states. Desantis spotlighted his policies and governance as distinguishing him from Trump.
He supported his argument by mentioning how he addressed the Coronavirus in Florida and his opinions about the LGBTQ.
DeSantis also advocated for racial and gender equality. Fighting “woke” ideologies took center stage in his campaigns.
However, his favorable poll numbers, a mass-adored wife, and the powerful campaign didn’t materialize, as evidenced when primary results started airing.
DeSantis and Trump’s Teams Taunt Each Other
Trump’s allies sought to taunt DeSantis through synthetic media and AI imagery. They circulated an image of DeSantis’ face on Gary Scott’s face. He wore a dress and got called out for it days after DeSantis publicized his campaign.
DeSantis’ aide responded by AI-generating images of the former president kissing Anthony Fauci during campaigns. This response displeased Trump’s team, with some, like Marjorie Greene, demanding its takedown.
Trump supporter Christina Pushaw retaliated by sharing an image of the Florida governor riding a rhinoceros (RHINO). This picture alluded to the fact that DeSantis was a Republic in Name Only.
The Beginning of DeSantis’ End
With his troubled Twitter event failing to convince the masses of his supremacy over Trump, DeSantis’s polling numbers in early states started declining. Trump exploited the widening gap by stating that DeSantis was disloyal and worthless.
He also gave him the nickname “Ron DeSanctimonious.” The former president’s team invested heavily in anti-DeSantis ads ridiculing his shoe game, personality, and internal troubles in his campaign team.
The Florida governor appeared awkward in campaigns following his X event, which failed to meet its targets. His demeanor resulted in a string of memes, sabotaging his candidacy.
Furthermore, a member of his team, Nate Hochman, shared images that featured Nazi, supremacist, far-right, and homoerotic portrayals. Despite the aide’s dismissal, his actions had added damages to DeSantis’ campaign, which was overspending early.
For instance, between July and September 2023, DeSantis’ camp spent 78.6% of its fundraising revenue on operational costs and traveling expenses. The high burn-through rate resulted in financial troubles and staff lay-offs.
Inadequate funds resulted in Never Back Down including the Florida governor in most of his campaigns as a special guest.
His super PAC also experienced major changes towards the end of 2023 due to:
- Unappealing poll figures for DeSantis
- Members disagreeing on advertising strategies
- A need for leadership diversity as most were the governor’s loyalists from Tallahassee
A Team Decision
Although DeSantis had commented that the race would be mostly a two-person battle, that remained unclear. The lack of a clear distinction followed Haley’s supporters’ gain due to her outstanding debate performance.
Haley’s increasing attractiveness earned her decent footing in Iowa and New Hampshire. This appeal saw her coming in third in IOWA with only a 2.1% difference from DeSantis.
Those close to DeSantis were torn between letting him proceed and bowing out. Supporters that wanted him to proceed relied on Hayley backing out and Trump struggling for their argument.
On the other hand, those who were for DeSantis to back out pointed out financial constraints as a key reason. DeSantis’ camp burned through tens of millions of dollars during their concert campaigns without a reasonable return on investment.
They also mentioned that DeSantis getting a one-digit figure in New Hampshire wouldn’t help his future interest in the position. His claim as the runner-up in Iowa would be weak.
The Florida governor was projected to hit 6% in New Hampshire, a distant third behind Haley’s 39% and Trump’s 50%.
After arguing for a while, both sides agreed that a graceful exit was the best way forward.
DeSantis’ Eyes The Republican Nominee Position in 2028
While initially inclined to soldier on, DeSantis followed his team’s decision. Backing out this early was also important in preserving the governor’s capital for his 2028 bid.
Having accepted the consensus from the weekend-long negotiations, DeSantis campaign officials texted and called his top supporters and donors, informing them of the impending surrender.
However, DeSantis and his team didn’t want to seem like they were making way for Haley, as he viewed her as a possible opponent in 2028.
Scott Wagner, Never Back Down’s (DeSantis super PAC) CEO, said they were hosting several events in New Hampshire and South Carolina, among other areas, to mobilize grassroots field operations.
The Florida governor canceled several TV appearances and a campaign event in New Hampshire.
He stayed in Tallahassee, Florida, ready to resume his gubernatorial duties, appeasing some Florida residents who viewed his presidential campaigning trips as neglecting the state.
Never Back Down also fired its workers that it’d pay by the end month. However, it transferred some Iowa employees to other primary states to continue mobilizing the masses and gain support for DeSantis’ prospects.
The Next Chapter For DeSantis’ Supporters
Not wanting to appear as anti-Trump or a Haley supporter, it’s unsurprising that DeSantis’s parting speech criticized Haley’s camp. He claimed that she embodied a rebranded form of “warmed-over corporatism.”
DeSantis also mentioned that Haley declined voter questions and mostly attacked him while disregarding Trump. He said that although Haley had said she’d be in the top two in Iowa, she’d failed to beat him. Her defeat would be more pronounced soon.
Meanwhile, DeSantis praised Donald Trump as having a proven track record of securing the US from its enemies and dealing with global leaders. The Florida governor further praised Trump as being better than Biden.
Following these reasons, he asked his team to rally behind Trump. Most headed the call, as many of his former supporters are now team Trump with public disdain for Haley.
For example, a staunch DeSantis supporter, Rep. Chip Roy, said Haley won’t be the Republican nominee or the US president.
That said, Republican strategist David Kochel said that DeSantis’s departure wasn’t likely to make significant changes as his support had wavered.
Democrats React To DeSantis’ Campaign Suspension
Democrats rejoiced at the news of DeSantis’s suspension. One appreciated the stop to a “culture war-inducing” strategy that’d be disastrous for the state as it had been for Floridians.
The Democratic National Committee’s spokeswoman, Sarafina Chitika, highlighted her pleasure with the withdrawal as some of DeSantis’s policies were detrimental.
She didn’t appreciate his desire to ban abortion and embrace election deniers while damaging healthcare and social security.
Trump and Haley React To DeSantis Surrender
Trump congratulated the governor for his GOP race suspension, ditching the usual ridicule he’d had for DeSantis. He thanked him for the endorsement, termed him a “terrific person,” and said he was ready to work with him.
Trump also told supporters that the “Ron DeSanctimonious” nickname had retired amid cheers from the gathering.
Haley also commended DeSantis for being an excellent governor and wished him well. She then said the race was now left for one lady and “one fella.”
Below is the latest polling between Trump and Harley as of 5th March 2024.
Conclusion
Did Ron DeSantis drop out of the presidential race? Yes, Ron dropped out of the race. With DeSantis out of the picture, Trump’s camp focused on trampling Haley in the New Hampshire primary.
Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita noted that Nikki Haley had two options: to drop out if she lost New Hampshire or prepare for complete demolishment and embarrassment in South Carolina, her hometown.
Although she lost in both regions, the former ambassador makes history, becoming the first woman to win a Republican primary with her Columbia victory.
