Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) is inching closer to launching a White House bid for 2024, with the Florida governor reportedly eyeing an announcement in late May or early June.
Although DeSantis has not announced whether he intends to seek the GOP presidential nomination, several Republican advisers close to the governor say he has already made up his mind on the matter. However, an announcement is not expected to come until after the Sunshine State concludes its legislative session in late May.
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“I think his mind is pretty much made up at this point,” a GOP operative told the Hill. “My read on it is: Let’s get through [the legislative] session, get some stuff done, and see where things stand. But unless something changes drastically between now and then, I’d say he’s a go.”
Advisers for DeSantis have already begun the hiring process to beef up his campaign team, with some of the governor’s advisers laying the groundwork for a national campaign, the outlet reported. However, it’s still unclear when he may make the final announcement — with some GOP operatives pushing him to make the move sooner rather than later.
“He needs to seize the opportunity now because who knows what things will look like down the road,” one Republican analyst told the outlet. “He has the momentum now.”
Should he announce a presidential bid, DeSantis would enter a crowded field of GOP contenders seeking the party’s nomination. Only former President Donald Trump has announced a White House bid so far, but more are expected to follow in the coming months.
The Florida governor has already garnered nationwide support for his prospective candidacy, with several political action committees filing paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to boost DeSantis in the 2024 cycle. Among those is Ready for Ron, which announced last month it plans to spend more than $3 million on advertising over the next three months.
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Additionally, DeSantis has support from the prominent conservative fundraising group Club for Growth, which invited the Florida governor to its annual donor retreat next month. At least six likely GOP presidential candidates were invited to the retreat, including DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), and Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA).
Although DeSantis has been tight-lipped on whether he’ll seek a White House bid, the Florida governor has emerged as an early favorite to offer an alternative to Trump. He and Trump routinely alternate sitting at the top of polls, with DeSantis occasionally besting the former president — especially in head-to-head contests.
