Ron DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has formally dropped out of the Republican primary race and endorsed Donald Trump for the presidency.

Though he briefly acknowledged some disagreements with Trump’s presidency—specifically  Covid policy and the presence of Dr. Fauci—DeSantis concluded that Trump is “superior to the incumbent president.”

DeSantis, who only won reelection for the Sunshine State’s governor’s mansion as recently as November 2022, had formally entered the race in late May 2023 after months of speculation.

Shortly before his entrance, DeSantis had been widely seen as a competitive threat to Trump’s primacy, but the gap between them widened inexorably throughout the duration of DeSantis’s ill-fated candidacy.

Trump made the rivalry personal relatively early, hurling personal insults at the governor with ever-increasing frequency and venom. The ex-president argued that he was responsible for DeSantis’s 2018 gubernatorial victory and accused him of disloyalty.

DeSantis, on the other hand, was painfully slow to return fire against Trump, largely ignoring and brushing aside the endless volley of insults and personal attacks—leaving many on both the Right and the Left wondering how he intended to distinguish himself from Trump or demonstrate strength to a constituency which claims to value it. 

By the time DeSantis was willing to publicly criticize Trump, his campaign’s death spiral had already begun: reports steadily trickled in that his campaign was hemorrhaging funds, donors, and employees. 

Experts consistently identified that DeSantis’s far right bonafides—such as a six-week abortion ban he signed into Florida law and relentless culture war attacks against Disney and marginalized groups—would alienate voters in a general electorate, but the governor refused to change course.

Moreover, DeSantis was the subject of frequent viral moments emphasizing a persistent social awkwardness, accentuating an unlikability which was reflected in polling.

DeSantis is limited by Florida law to two consecutive terms as governor. What his intentions are after his term expires in 2026 remains to be seen.