Announcement on Twitter Spaces
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially launched his 2024 presidential campaign. He is a rival to former President Donald Trump in the race for the Republican nomination. He made the announcement on Wednesday evening in a Twitter Spaces conversation with Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The conversation had technical glitches and had to be restarted.
Reelection and popularity
DeSantis was reelected by a wide margin in 2022. He has gained national attention for his conservative policies and his defiance of Covid-19 restrictions. He has also signed a bill that makes it easier for him to run for president. It changes Florida’s resign-to-run law.
Attacks from Trump
The 44-year-old governor is one of the leading contenders in the crowded GOP field. Trump has not ruled out running again. DeSantis has tried to balance his loyalty to Trump with his own ambitions. But he has faced fierce attacks from the former president and his allies.
Trump has criticized DeSantis’ record, his political skills and even his personal habits. He has promoted negative stories about him in the media. A pro-Trump PAC recently released an ad that claimed DeSantis ate pudding with his fingers. The governor denied it.
Backlash from Democrats and experts
DeSantis has also faced backlash from some Democrats and public health experts. They have criticized his handling of the pandemic, which has killed more than 60,000 Floridians. He has banned mask mandates, vaccine passports and school closures. He has promoted treatments such as monoclonal antibodies and ivermectin.
Campaign video and message
DeSantis’ campaign video highlighted his achievements as governor. He said he cut taxes, expanded school choice, cracked down on illegal immigration and supported law enforcement. He also vowed to fight against “socialism”, “cancel culture” and “big tech censorship”.
He said he was running for president to “restore America’s greatness” and to “defend our freedom”. He also praised Musk as a “visionary” and a “patriot”. He said Musk was creating jobs and innovation in Florida.
Campaign trail
DeSantis is expected to visit several key states in the coming weeks. They include Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. He will also face competition from other prominent Republicans. They include former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.