Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced this Sunday (21) that he is ending his bid for the White House, almost a week after a disappointing performance in the Republican party's Iowa caucuses.
He was one of Donald Trump's main opponents. The former president, after managing to win the Iowa caucuses, had asked his opponents to join him in defeating Joe Biden.
In a video announcing the decision, DeSantis stated that he will support Donald Trump, who he said is superior to Joe Biden. He also stressed that there was no clear path to presidential success for his campaign.
“If there was something I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more rallies, more interviews, I would do it, but I can't ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don't have a clear vision of the path to victory. Consequently, I am suspending my campaign today”, explained the governor.
“Winston Churchill once observed that success is not final, failure is not fatal. It's the courage to continue that counts. Although this campaign has ended, the mission continues here in Florida. We will continue to show the country how to lead. Thank you and God bless,” he concluded.
This is a devastating blow to the promising career of a prominent member of the Republican party, and his failure to meet the high expectations of his candidacy has already provoked a wave of doubts from close allies and advisors.
Some believe DeSantis took too long to attack Trump. Others think his team underestimated former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley.
Many remain convinced that there was nothing DeSantis could have done to alienate the party from Trump's sizable and loyal following.
DeSantis supports Trump
During the announcement, DeSantis noted that he will support former President Donald Trump.
“I am proud to have fulfilled 100% of my promises and I will not stop now. It’s clear to me that the majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” he said.
“Although I have had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as over the coronavirus pandemic and his endorsement of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current president, Joe Biden. That is clear”, he pondered.
“I signed a pledge to support the Republican candidate and I will honor that pledge. He has my support, because we cannot go back to the old-school Republican ways of yesteryear or the rehashed form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents,” she concluded.
Lack of money and talking to donors
The Florida governor's decision to end his presidential campaign came after days of conversations with donors. It became clear over the weekend that there was neither the reason nor the financial support to continue his candidacy.
DeSantis and his wife, Casey, made the decision Sunday afternoon, surprising many of their employees and supporters.
“The money wasn’t there to continue,” one of DeSantis’ top donors told CNN.
A short trip back to Florida on Thursday was a reset moment for him, where for the first time he seriously talked about leaving the presidential race, according to a source with knowledge of the matter.
DeSantis met with a very small group of his closest advisers.
“I think he just needed a little time to collect his thoughts and determine a path forward. He made the decision alone and determined that it is in his interest to return to govern,” highlighted the source.
The source described the mood around DeSantis' advisers as “disappointing, but there was a belief” that his campaign was over.
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
