Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially ended his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. In a video released on Sunday, DeSantis announced that he is suspending his campaign, citing the dominant victory of former President Donald Trump in the Iowa caucuses as a deciding factor. He also included a quote from Winston Churchill, stating that “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
DeSantis acknowledged that his decision to drop out of the race came after Trump’s overwhelming win in Iowa, where he captured 51% of the vote. He shared that he and his team prayed and deliberated on their next course of action after coming in second place. Ultimately, DeSantis said he couldn’t ask his supporters to continue volunteering their time and donating their resources if they didn’t have a clear path to victory.
The Florida governor noted that while he had his differences with Trump, he believes that the majority of Republican primary voters are looking to give the former president another chance. DeSantis believes that Trump’s presidency was hindered by constant resistance and that Democrats are still using legal tactics to attack him. This political climate has led DeSantis to ultimately endorse Trump as the nominee.
DeSantis emphasized his commitment to the pledge he signed to support the Republican nominee and stated that Trump has his endorsement. He also took aim at Trump’s opponent, current President Joe Biden, saying, “He is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden. That is clear.” DeSantis also made clear his stance on returning to previous Republican standards, stating that he cannot support a candidate like Nikki Haley, who represents the old guard of “warmed-over corporatism.”
The governor also highlighted the importance of moving away from putting the interests of large corporations first and prioritizing the needs of the American people. He firmly expressed his rejection of “woke ideology” and believes that the days of catering to this type of thinking are over.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
– Winston Churchill pic.twitter.com/ECoR8YeiMm
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 21, 2024
With DeSantis’s exit from the race, New Hampshire has now become a crucial battleground for Haley and Trump. However, with DeSantis’ endorsement, it appears that Trump has a comfortable lead in the polls, with RealClearPolitics currently showing him at 50.3% support compared to Haley’s 35.3%. FiveThirtyEight also has the race with a similar margin, giving Trump a 48.9% lead over Haley’s 34.2%.
DeSantis has decided to withdraw his bid for the Republican presidential nomination and endorse former President Donald Trump. Despite their differences, DeSantis believes that Trump is the best option for the Republican Party and the American people when compared to current President Joe Biden and the old guard of the Republican Party, represented by Nikki Haley.
With DeSantis’s endorsement, the race for the Republican nomination in New Hampshire appears to have been decided in favor of Trump.