Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is expected to visit early primary states in the coming weeks, fueling speculation he is set to announce his candidacy for president.
DeSantis’ staff has been briefed on tentative plans to visit Iowa, Nevada and New Hampshire. There have also been discussions about a trip to South Carolina. The state visits are billed as a tour for his book release.
DeSantis is believed to have scheduled trips to Davenport and Des Moines, Iowa, in the first half of March. Iowa will be the first state to hold a presidential caucus in 2024.
The Florida governor is going to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California on Sunday. The Library is a popular place for Republicans to launch presidential bids.
Three candidates – former President Donald Trump, Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy – have announced their intention to run for the Republican nomination. The three current candidates and DeSantis all represent a right-wing, self-declared “anti-woke” faction of the Republican party.
Recent polls suggest that Trump and DeSantis are the most likely candidates to capture the Republican nomination.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) has been preparing for a tough campaign slog. On Sunday, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said she expects all candidates to sign a pledge to support the Republican nominee, no matter the winner.
“We haven’t put the criteria out, but I expect a pledge will be part of it. It was part of 2016. I think it’s kind of a no-brainer, right? If you’re going to be on the Republican National Committee debate stage asking voters to support you, you should say, ‘I’m going to support the voters and who they choose as the nominee,’” she said.
The first Republican presidential debate is set for Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in August 2023.
