If DeSantis gets in, his first task will be stopping the polling slide
by Haisten Willis, White House Reporter
May 07, 2023 06:00 AM
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) has yet to enter the 2024 presidential contest, but polling indicates he'll have a tough task ahead should he choose to do so.
DeSantis has seen his support plummet in recent weeks amid an onslaught of criticism from former President Donald Trump, who is trying to declare the contest over and pivot toward the general election.
"I see that everybody is talking about the Republican Debates, but nobody got my approval, or the approval of the Trump Campaign, before announcing them," Trump wrote in a recent Truth Social post. "When you’re leading by seemingly insurmountable numbers, and you have hostile Networks with angry, TRUMP & MAGA-hating anchors asking the 'questions,' why subject yourself to being libeled and abused?"
Skipping debates is a common tactic for incumbents, who don't want to be seen on an equal footing with their challengers. President Joe Biden is trying the same thing against his token Democratic primary opponents.
However, DeSantis's backers and veteran political observers say it's far too early to count anyone out of the GOP primary, much less the second-ranked candidate before he even enters the race.
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