The individual seen as the most formidable challenger to former President Donald Trump for the 2024 Republican Presidential nomination officially submitted his candidacy paperwork on Wednesday.
According to Politico, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has made his entry into the presidential race official:
- DeSantis plans to sway Republicans by highlighting Trump's potential drawbacks for the general election and critiquing President Joe Biden's leadership.
- He characterizes the current situation in the U.S. as a crisis, blaming a "far-left hellscape" and laxity in crime control in major cities.
- "We have a responsibility to preserve what the father of our country called the 'sacred fire of liberty,'" said DeSantis, also pledging not to "surrender to the woke mob."
- Despite criticisms about his late entry and demeanor, DeSantis believes he can outperform Trump in key states.
- He faces a substantial challenge in Trump, who boasts a loyal Republican base.
- Amid attacks from Trump, DeSantis emphasizes his resiliency, a sentiment echoed in ads by his Super PAC, "Never Back Down."
- He has balanced his relationship with Trump's base while maintaining his conservative stance on issues like pandemic response and gender identity.
- DeSantis continues to deflect criticisms from Trump and remains focused on his presidential campaign.
The Florida governor is expected to announce his candidacy on Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET during a Twitter Spaces discussion with Elon Musk.
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This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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