Ron DeSantis Endorses Trump After Dropping Out Of Race

Once considered a serious political contender for Trump, DeSantis saw his fortunes decline steadily upon announcing his candidacy.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis finally ended his sad excuse for a campaign and immediately followed Tim Scott in endorsing Donald Trump as the Republican Party’s nominee. As The Associated Press reports, DeSantis’ move leaves Nikki Haley as the only remaining obstacle to Trump — and DeSantis is no fan of Haley, as he made clear while endorsing the ex-president.

“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” DeSantis said. “I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee and I will honor that pledge. He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”

Once considered a serious political contender to Trump, DeSantis saw his fortunes steadily decline upon announcing his candidacy. But while his campaign faltered, his ideas, such as pushing back on race and gender issues being taught in schools, are being carried forth by the Republican Party at large. Following DeSantis’ disappointing performance in the Iowa caucus, those close to his campaign said that private discussions were held about how to leave the race with the governor’s pride intact after his bitter and public rivalry with Trump over the past year.

DeSantis alluded to his disagreements with Trump, saying, “While I’ve had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden. That is clear.”

He has wasted no time in closing ranks around Trump, and the mood from Republican strategists, like Trump’s senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles, is that Haley has no chance at the nomination if she loses in the New Hampshire primary. In a memo, they envisioned Haley’s road map going forward.

“Now that we are a mere 48 hours from the primary, the tone has shifted mightily. We see it, you see it, but make no mistake, if Nikki Haley loses in New Hampshire — there are only two options,” the pair wrote. “Option A: Nikki Haley drops out, unites behind President Trump, and commits to defeating Joe Biden. Option B: Nikki Haley prepares to be absolutely DEMOLISHED and EMBARRASSED in her home state of South Carolina.”