GOP dark horses see 2024 path in surviving Trump-DeSantis mutually assured destruction
by Katherine Doyle, White House Reporter
February 24, 2023 05:55 AMThe Republican presidential field may end up being split between former President Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), and other candidates who hope to benefit if the top two Florida men tear each other apart during a bruising primary battle.
DeSantis, a prominent swing state governor that many Republicans hope will run for president in 2024, isn’t expected to make a formal move until the end of Florida’s legislative session, with one source suggesting it may not occur until July or later. Announcing during the second fundraising quarter would forfeit runway if the governor hopes to come out guns blazing, showcasing his ability to box out rivals for donor cash.
“This is all being discussed; of course it is,” a Republican strategist and former Trump aide said of the prospect that Trump and his closest competitor could tear one another down. “There's multiple scenarios.”
DeSantis emerged as Trump’s strongest potential rival after Florida Republicans swept to victory in the midterm elections, notching support from independents and centrists and defying Republicans’ lackluster results, including some of the former president’s high-profile endorsements.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/campaigns/trump-desantis-mutually-assured-destruction