Ron DeSantis drops out of 2024 presidential race, endorses Donald Trump

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed front-runner Donald Trump on Sunday, two days earlier than the New Hampshire main.

“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 if we don’t have a clear path to victory,” DeSantis mentioned in a Sunday social media post. “Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign.”

“Trump is superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden. That is clear,” DeSantis mentioned. “I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee and I will honor that pledge. 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.”

The Trump marketing campaign mentioned in a Sunday assertion it was “honored” to obtain DeSantis’ endorsement, together with “so many other former presidential candidates.”

DeSantis joins a rising checklist of defunct 2024 candidates, like North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., who endorsed Trump after suspending their campaigns.

At a New Hampshire rally Sunday night, Trump congratulated Ron for bowing out and giving him his endorsement.

“As you know, he left the campaign trail today at 3 p.m. and in so doing, he was very gracious and he endorsed me, so I appreciate that,” Trump mentioned. “I also look forward to working with Ron and everybody else to defeat crooked Joe Biden.”

I recognize that. And I additionally sit up for working with Ron and everyone else to defeat crooked Joe Biden.

Minutes after he introduced his exit from the 2024 race, DeSantis canceled a marketing campaign occasion he had scheduled in New Hampshire. The marketing campaign mentioned that he would as a substitute stay in Tallahassee, Florida.

Regardless of claiming a victory on the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 15 the place he edged out former Haley for second place, DeSantis has severely lagged his opponents in New Hampshire.

DeSantis was polling at 6% within the Granite State, in comparison with Trump’s 50% and Haley’s 39%, in line with a CNN/College of New Hampshire ballot performed between Jan. 16 and 19.

In response to DeSantis’ announcement, Haley mentioned the GOP main contest is now a “two-person race.”

Since Iowa, the DeSantis marketing campaign has gave the impression to be winding down. The professional-DeSantis tremendous PAC, By no means Again Down, laid off staff earlier this week and DeSantis canceled a number of media appearances he had scheduled Sunday.

DeSantis’ exit marks the tip of a marketing campaign that originally confirmed promise however has been rife with internal drama and strategic blunders. Studies of infighting seasoned almost your entire timeline of the DeSantis marketing campaign and workers had been typically quoted as having misplaced religion within the marketing campaign properly earlier than it ended.

Beginning Monday, the Florida governor will return to his day job the place he has confronted criticism for neglecting his duties in pursuit of the presidency.

“Our governor roams the political world (Florida be damned) seeking the presidential nomination,” a Florida resident wrote within the Sarasota Herald-Tribune earlier in January.

It is a growing story. Test again for extra updates.