Florida Governor Ron DeSantis Launches 2024 Presidential Bid in Iowa, Escalates Attacks on Trump.
Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida has officially announced his candidacy for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. The announcement was made during an online conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk, although the audio was plagued with technical issues that made it difficult for many listeners to hear in real time. The campaign set off in earnest with a two-day trip to Iowa, beginning at a megachurch in suburban Des Moines and ending at a racetrack in Cedar Rapids, with stops also planned in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
DeSantis faces a daunting challenge in his bid to win the Republican nomination, as he is widely viewed as a second-tier candidate behind former President Donald Trump, who has not ruled out running for president again himself. DeSantis has sought to distance himself from Trump, whom he has criticized for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and his record on criminal justice. DeSantis has also taken a more moderate stance on some social issues, such as his support for expanded background checks for gun purchases.
One key area where DeSantis may be able to differentiate himself from Trump is in his appeal to religious conservatives, whom he has courted aggressively during his early trips to Iowa. His Tuesday evening appearance at the Eternity Church in Clive, a nod to these influential voters, was one of the highlights of his Iowa tour. However, DeSantis will need to persuade these voters that he is a more capable and reliable advocate for their issues than Trump, who remains highly popular among conservative Christians.
DeSantis is also betting heavily on support from outside groups such as Never Back Down, a super PAC that is using unlimited sums of money from wealthy contributors to organize support for him in early primary states. While this strategy is risky and untested, it allows DeSantis to maximize his funding and compete more effectively against Trump’s well-organized campaign operation. Moreover, it gives him a visible presence in the early primary states and a chance to build momentum before the primary season heats up.
In any event, DeSantis faces a steep uphill climb in his quest for the nomination. Although he is a popular governor with a record of legislative achievement in Florida, he lacks the national profile and name recognition of some of his rivals, such as former Vice President Mike Pence or Texas Senator Ted Cruz. DeSantis will need to convince Republican voters that he is the most viable alternative to Trump and that he can lead the party to victory in 2024, a tall order given the high degree of polarization and division within the GOP.
