Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis moved beyond an awkward start to his presidential campaign, declaring an extensive travel plan as his associates affirmed they were adequately resourced and strategically positioned for a prolonged Republican primary contest.
DeSantis’ supporters discreetly admitted that the initial stumbling announcement was a needless disruption, yet there was a general sentiment — shared even among some Republican detractors — that it was unlikely to inflict lasting political damage. To address the skeptics, the campaign affirmed late Thursday that it had amassed $8.2 million within 24 hours of joining the race, a substantial figure surpassing President Joe Biden’s fundraising in the same timeframe.
“Do they regret the rough start? ” David Oman, a seasoned Republican operative from Iowa, commented on DeSantis’ initial missteps. “But will it still be a talking point in 10 days? Most likely not.”
DeSantis started his campaign Wednesday evening via a virtual chat with Twitter CEO Elon Musk. However, persistent audio disruptions made it challenging for most users to follow the announcement in real-time.
The Republican governor revealed an ambitious three-state campaign tour next week, including a minimum of twelve stops. He has planned to campaign in Iowa on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by visits to New Hampshire and South Carolina.
“We are entirely focused on conveying Gov. DeSantis’ progressive message for America’s revival to every potential voter in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina,” stated campaign manager Generra Peck. “Our campaign is committed to investing the time required to win these early nominating states. No one will work harder than Gov. DeSantis to communicate his vision to the nation — he has just begun his battle.”
DeSantis is positioning himself as the sole credible Republican challenger in a crowded GOP primary to former President Donald Trump, who retains a sizable lead in early polls and a firm hold on a significant segment of the GOP’s enthusiastic base.
Despite Trump being burdened by numerous legal issues and a persistent focus on his 2020 election defeat, DeSantis’ team is launching the campaign with a substantial war chest, including the $8.2 million raised following Wednesday’s announcement. Some of these funds came from donations collected by fundraisers in Miami on Thursday. In the 24 hours post his campaign launch, Biden reported raising $6.3 million.
DeSantis’ impressive financial haul was first reported by The New York Times.
An advisor to DeSantis’ affiliated super PAC mentioned that the group had $33 million in its coffers and had already deployed 30 full-time paid employees across the first four states to host the presidential primary, with additional hires planned for the following 14 states holding primary contests.
No other Republican presidential candidate, including Trump, has such a comprehensive infrastructure in place. Trump’s staff should have disclosed the size of his team in early states. “The only numbers we’ll discuss are the vast leads President Trump is gaining in the early stages,” stated spokesman Steven Cheung.
Despite enduring nagging inquiries about his rocky campaign debut during a conservative media tour on Thursday, DeSantis radiated confidence in a potential face-off against Trump. He suggested during a Newsmax interview that there is a limit to the number of voters considering the former president.
“Now we’re commencing a campaign blitz. We’re going to be present in these early states. We’re going to reach out to voters nationwide with this message,” DeSantis said. “They also understand that we need a candidate to win and serve two terms.”
While Trump’s team took the opportunity to taunt DeSantis’ awkward start, numerous Republican officials, donors, and early state activists believed there would be minor long-term consequences.
“I mean, if Elon Musk told me, ‘We’re going to stream it,’ I’d trust him. This guy knows what he’s doing. Unfortunately, it didn’t work,” added Sununu. “DeSantis’ job was to deliver the speech and make his points. I believe he accomplished that rather well.”
Terry Sullivan, a Republican strategist who managed Sen. Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign, believes DeSantis is well-equipped to recover from an early blunder.
“Major presidential campaign announcements aim for a short-term bump (in the polls) and online fundraising,” Sullivan said. “DeSantis didn’t need either. He had to enter the race and start campaigning. Mission achieved.”
However, DeSantis was still juggling his presidential aspirations with his existing responsibilities.
On his first full day as a declared presidential candidate, the Florida governor signed bills offering tax breaks for Florida residents. They ranged from sales tax holidays on hurricane and school supplies to permanent exemptions for essential baby and toddler supplies like diapers. He also approved a one-year tax exemption on gas stoves — a direct jab at Democrats who have expressed health concerns about these appliances.
Despite this, much of the conversation beyond Florida focused on the botched announcement.
Former New Hampshire GOP Chair Jennifer Horn referred to DeSantis’ campaign launch as an “embarrassing missed opportunity.” The only potential longer-term challenge, she said, was that it presents “a gift to Donald Trump,” who will almost certainly make sure it’s not easily forgotten.
According to New Hampshire Republican Party Chair Chris Ager, there was still “a high level of interest” in DeSantis. Multiple Republican Party groups are inviting DeSantis to speak at their events.
“I think it was a pretty bold move to try something new in an announcement,” Ager commented.
While early polls show Trump with a substantial lead over DeSantis among New Hampshire primary voters, Ager believes a lot can change over time.
“I fully expect the race will tighten up,” he said. “Gov. DeSantis is unquestionably a serious and legitimate contender for the top spot.”
Eric Levine, a Republican donor and vocal Trump critic, stated there was little discussion about DeSantis’ initial misstep in the donor community. He said the Florida governor remains one of his top three candidates.
“Nobody’s abandoning him because of it. Whether he’s lost a few supporters who might have supported him if the launch had been smoother, I don’t know,” Levine said. “Now, it’s a marathon from here to Iowa.”
As Governor DeSantis embarks on this crucial journey, the hiccups in his campaign’s initial stages seem unlikely to impact his long-term prospects significantly. DeSantis continues to be viewed as a powerful contender for the GOP nomination, with a dedicated and resourceful team behind him. Even with his campaign’s challenging beginning, he appears poised to deliver his forward-thinking message for America’s revival to voters nationwide. It remains to be seen how the dynamics will unfold as DeSantis, Trump, and other Republican contenders vie for the nomination in the months leading up to the Iowa primaries.
