Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday that he is making a bid for the White House, a move that sets up a GOP primary showdown between the Sunshine State governor and former President Donald Trump.
DeSantis released an announcment video just ahead of a Twitter Spaces with billionaire business magnate Elon Musk where he was expected to announce his presidential run. “I’m Ron DeSantis, and I’m running for president to lead our great American comeback,” he declared in the announcement video.
Last year, DeSantis, who has served as Florida’s governor since early 2019, secured reelection by decisively defeating Democratic opponent Charlie Crist during the state’s gubernatorial contest. Prior to serving as governor, DeSantis served as a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives.
While many lawmakers have already thrown their support behind Trump, some, including GOP Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Chip Roy of Texas, endorsed DeSantis for president earlier this year before the governor announced his presidential bid.
DeSantis’ announcement on Wednesday came as polls indicated that Trump has a large lead over Republican primary opponents and potential opponents — DeSantis has been polling in a distant second place, but far higher than other figures.
Trump, who has been targeting DeSantis for months, has referred to DeSantis as “DeSanctimonious” and “DeSanctus.” The former president has declared that the Florida goverrnor is in need of a “personality transplant” and claimed that DeSantis is a “RINO GLOBALIST,” a term which uses an acronym that stands for “Republican in name only.”
In addition to Trump and DeSantis, other GOP primary candidates include former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Larry Elder, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, and entrepreneur and author Vivek Ramaswamy.
Musk has indicated that he would be open to hosting other presidential candidates on Twitter Spaces. When someone raised the prospect of Musk hosting Trump, President Joe Biden, and Democratic primary challenger Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Twitter Spaces, Musk replied, “Ok.”
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