Staff Reports
Some of the biggest GOP donors are having second thoughts when it comes to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, with some sources suggesting that they’re advising him to wait until 2028 to run for the Presidential nomination. Their main concern appears to be over who they support in the previous race: former President Donald Trump. These GOP leaders are questioning whether DeSantis will be able to garner the support he needs to surpass Trump in primary races to win the nomination.
Ron DeSantis' donors and allies question if he's ready for 2024
Spoiler: he ain’t got the thing. https://t.co/Q0YZHHk0bq
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 25, 2023
One of DeSantis’s most ardent supporters, a conservative billionaire shipping goods magnate Richard Uihlein, and his wife, who donated around half a million dollars to DeSantis’s re-election campaign, have also been found to be hesitant in their backing of the Governor. In fact, they’ve slowed down their contributions due to their concerns over DeSantis’s declining status in recent surveys.
Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, on the other hand, is singing a different tune. She spoke highly of DeSantis while encouraging him to hold off on running in the next Presidential race. Palin said, “I envision him as our president someday, but not right now. Everybody I speak with in Florida, they all love him. And he does set the tone for, I’d say every other governor in the nation,” suggesting that he should remain Governor for a while longer.
Meanwhile, Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has endorsed Trump for the 2024 Presidential race. Similarly, Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) is playing a significant role in leading Trump’s campaign in South Carolina. It’s clear that the GOP doesn’t want another candidate to run against Trump, paving the way for a rematch against President Joe Biden.
Many conservatives remain concerned that a rematch with Trump will lead to similar results, and they believe that DeSantis could be the better candidate in key battleground states. This pushback shows the Republican Party’s difficulty in trying to determine its future leadership.
