Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to officially announce his entry into the 2024 presidential race next week, according to three sources familiar with the planning. The governor's decision comes after months of visits to early presidential primary states and promotional events for his new book highlighting his legislative record as governor.
DeSantis' plans include filing papers with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) formalizing his presidential candidacy, timed to coincide with a Miami gathering of some of the governor's most generous long-time donors. Attendees are anticipated to receive briefings on campaign strategy and requests for significant financial support for DeSantis' bid.
During recent travels, Governor DeSantis has been emphasizing bipartisan bills aimed at increasing teacher pay, lowering prescription drug prices, and cutting taxes on home goods. He is currently serving his second term as Florida governor after being re-elected by a nearly 20-point margin in November 2022.
The Republican leader gained prominence within the party due to his response during the COVID-19 pandemic when he lifted lockdowns on businesses and resumed in-person schooling sooner than other states.
According to Wall Street Journal reports published on Wednesday, official paperwork declaring Gov. DeSantis' candidacy will be filed on May 25th. In preparation for this announcement, pro-DeSantis super PAC "Never Back Down" has run TV advertisements criticizing former President Donald Trump.
Notably, DeSantis has strengthened hard-right credentials this month by implementing restrictions on discussing gender in schools, eliminating diversity programs at colleges and signing a six-week abortion ban into law.
Political analyst Jane Thompson stated: "Gov. DeSantis enters an already crowded field of potential GOP candidates but stands out due to both strong popularity within conservative circles and proven executive experience."
In response to these developments surrounding Gov.De Santis’s upcoming announcement about entering into the 2024 Presidential race, Florida resident Mark Daniels shared: “I think Gov. DeSantis' leadership during the pandemic has shown he's capable of handling difficult situations and making tough decisions. I'm excited to see how his campaign will unfold."