Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ended his bid for the Republican United States presidential nomination just before the New Hampshire primary and threw his support behind former President Donald Trump. Despite having a significant campaign war chest and a strong legislative record, DeSantis failed to connect with voters on a personal level and performed poorly in the Iowa caucuses, resulting in the end of his presidential campaign. This move leaves his political future in limbo as he can only serve two terms as Florida’s governor, with his current term set to end in January 2027.
With DeSantis’s exit from the race, the path seems clearer for Donald Trump, who has a double-digit lead over former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley in New Hampshire. The former President’s campaign has dismissed Haley as “the candidate of the globalists and Democrats” and is hoping for a second consecutive win that will make his eventual nomination all but inevitable. Meanwhile, Haley has sharpened her attacks on Trump, criticising his praise for authoritarian leaders and asserting that the US is “not a country of coronations.” Despite being a former governor of South Carolina, a loss in her home state could lead to the end of her campaign.
The decision to endorse Trump marks the end of a disappointing campaign for DeSantis, and its implications for the future of the Republican presidential race are uncertain. The primary contest now seems to be primarily between Trump and Haley, with DeSantis’s departure leaving his political future uncertain amidst the changing dynamics of the presidential race.