Donald Trump, who feeds on toxic drama, will be pleased to know that it is official — Ron DeSantis is in the ring. Florida's authoritarian governor filed with the Federal Election Commission earlier today (see doc below, tweeted by Ron Filipkowski), hours before his online Twitter appearance with Elon Musk at 6pm EDT, where he is expected to make his announcement.
From AP News:
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis entered the 2024 presidential race on Wednesday, stepping into a crowded Republican primary contest that will test both his national appeal as an outspoken cultural conservative and the GOP's willingness to move on from former President Donald Trump. …
DeSantis is considered to be Trump's strongest Republican rival even as the governor faces questions about his far-right policies, his campaign-trail personality and his lack of relationships across the Republican ecosystem. Still, he has generated significant interest among GOP primary voters by casting himself as a younger and more electable version of the 76-year-old former president. …
DeSantis joins a field that also includes former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Former Vice President Mike Pence is also considered a likely presidential candidate but has not yet announced a bid.
Let the hunger games begin!