We are now officially in the 2024 presidential cycle because the last elections have been successfully concluded and the last funding reports for 2022 have already been compiled. Right now, the most hotly debated topic is the Republican nominee. Although it may still be larger than 50%, the possibility that it won’t be Donald Trump has dramatically increased in recent months.
Many Republican Trump supporters hold the mistaken belief that they can have their cake and eat it, too. They want Trump to receive the nomination in 2024, but they don’t want Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is the rising star of the GOP, to have his career cut short. They therefore act as though DeSantis’s time has simply not come. They advise him to simply defer to Trump in 2024 and wait for his time in 2028. If you see it from the Florida governor’s perspective, this is totally incorrect.
DeSantis will be term-limited out of office and have no chance of finding work in any significant political position if he waits until 2028, to be clear. Running as a senator would be a less desirable alternative to running as a governor (from the standpoint of the presidential contest). But because there won’t be a Senate race in Florida in 2026, DeSantis won’t have the option of running for an open U.S. Senate seat to remain relevant. Evidently, he won’t return and seek re-election to his previous House position. What then can he do?
What happens to Republican governors who are no longer in office during presidential elections? If you’re interested, ask Jim Gilmore, Jeb Bush, or Tim Pawlenty. (By the way, none of those men were successful in their presidential bids.)
DeSantis currently has a higher approval rating and is more well-liked than Trump. He even leads Trump in head-to-head contests, albeit he falls behind if the GOP field becomes more crowded. DeSantis is ahead of Joe Biden in head-to-head surveys, which is also significant. Biden, who is already extremely unpopular and probably won’t change by 2024, nearly seems to be the only choice for Democrats. They could have a candidate who is considerably more likely to prevail in the general election in 2028.
In conclusion, DeSantis’ candidacy may never again have such favorable circumstances. DeSantis must therefore run in 2024 if he ever wants to be president, and there is no other option.
