MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 08: Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during the NBC News Republican Presidential Primary Debate at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County on November 8, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Five presidential hopefuls squared off in the third Republican primary debate as former U.S. President Donald Trump, currently facing indictments in four locations, declined again to participate. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Ron DeSantis has announced his decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race. He’s now throwing his support behind Donald Trump.
On Sunday (January 21), the Florida governor declared the news via a video message.
He diligently spoke about the decision, stating:
“Now, following our second-place finish in Iowa, we’ve prayed and deliberated on the way forward. If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it. But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources. We don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign.”
DeSantis acknowledged it was evident that a majority of Republican primary voters were in favor of giving Trump another chance.
He endorsed Trump, despite his previous criticisms of the ex-President, expressing his desire not to go back to the “old Republican guard” that Nikki Haley represents.
In DeSanti’s eyes, Trump’s remaining GOP rival was worse. He criticized Haley’s representation of the old Republican guard and expressed his desire for a fresh approach in the party.
He described his contender as “a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism.”
“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” he continued.
“He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”
Following his second place in the Iowa caucuses earlier this week, the DeSantis campaign reportedly sent mixed signals to voters.
It led to confusion about the governor’s intentions for the rest of the campaign.
Having initially seen Iowa as a potential stronghold, DeSantis was understandably disappointed when he only managed to narrowly beat Haley for second place in the state.
This was considered a blow to the governor, who had invested plenty of time and resources into his Iowa campaign, per NBC News.
Additionally, despite raising $8.2 million within 24 hours of launching, the campaign quickly ran into trouble due to high staff costs and high fundraising expectations.
Over three dozen staff members were subsequently let go by July 2023, per Bloomberg.
Having ended his efforts to make it to the White House, DeSantis now has two years remaining in his second and final term as the governor of Florida.
His exit from the race marks the end of a journey that came with significant challenges, victories, and presumable lessons.
RELATED: Florida Teens Threaten To Sue Gov. Ron DeSantis Over Rejection Of AP African American Studies Course
