Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the suspension of his presidential primary campaign, just two days shy of the New Hampshire primary and following a second-place finish in Iowa. DeSantis, once viewed as the most serious challenger to former President Donald Trump, also endorsed Trump. DeSantis acknowledged that the majority of Republican primary voters seem to support a comeback for Trump, effectively ending his own run for presidency due to the lack of a clear path to victory for his campaign.
Struggling with mixed signals, financial woes and infighting early in his campaign, DeSantis’ political operation was unable to gain significant momentum amidst the influence of pro-Trump super PACs, which launched relentless attacks against him. Furthermore, DeSantis’ attempts to position himself as an alternative to Trump were unable to gain traction with the Republican electorate. He emphasized hard-right policies as well as his commitment to bring his successful Florida administration to the nation, although these failed to make an impact in the presidential race.
After celebrating a second-place victory in Iowa, DeSantis’ campaign has been entangled in a series of controversies and internal conflicts, resulting in his suspended campaign, which came as a sudden surprise to his allies at the pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down. Moreover, financial challenges and internal struggles marred both the DeSantis campaign and the super PAC’s support, ultimately undermining DeSantis’ presidential prospects.