DeSantis weighs another presidential bid after GOP losses
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is keeping open the possibility of seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, as he assesses whether he can find support and a path through the field. Some people familiar with his plans say he is preparing to run; others say he has not made a final decision.
DeSantis has contacted at least one national political consultant about potential campaign work, and a federal super PAC connected to him sent a fundraising text this week. He has also made a series of high-profile media appearances, presenting himself as an alternative to Trumpism and discussing what went wrong for Republicans in the midterms.
The governor said the scale of Republican losses was comparable to a meteor strike, while arguing that Florida was able to withstand the Democratic wave. He faulted Republican candidates for failing to offer positive messages and for using messaging that did not connect with voters. Before the elections, he criticized Republicans for dismissing concerns over higher gas prices tied to the Iran war.
DeSantis ended his 2024 presidential campaign shortly before the New Hampshire primary, after finishing second to Donald Trump in Iowa with 21.3 percent of the vote. That campaign was marked by infighting between his aides and outside super PAC, as well as overspending despite substantial fundraising. He has said he learned that he needs more media exposure and should not wait too long to enter a race. His term as Florida governor ends in January, and donor support for another bid remains an open question.
DeSantis Sees a 2028 Opening After Republicans’ Midterm Collapse
Republicans’ sweeping midterm losses have opened a political opportunity for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is considering another presidential bid while casting himself as an alternative to Trumpism. The party’s failure to connect with voters is the central challenge his recent comments have highlighted.
DeSantis said Republicans lacked positive messages and dismissed voters’ concerns about gas prices. Before the election, he said higher prices linked to the Iran war were hurting working-class people and warned that denying the problem would alienate voters. His willingness to criticize the party’s response gives his potential campaign a clear contrast to make.
Florida held against the Democratic wave, and DeSantis has used the result to bolster his standing. He has increased media appearances and reached out to a national political consultant; a federal super PAC connected to him also sought donations this week. Some people familiar with his plans say he is preparing to run, although others say he has not decided.
His 2024 effort ended before the New Hampshire primary after a distant second-place finish in Iowa. Infighting and overspending complicated that campaign despite substantial fundraising. DeSantis says he learned to seek more media exposure and enter earlier. Whether donors will again back him, and whether he can turn Florida’s result into a national coalition, remain key tests.
Florida’s DeSantis Emerges as a Possible 2028 Alternative
Florida stood firm while Republicans suffered sweeping midterm losses elsewhere, giving Gov. Ron DeSantis a platform as he considers a 2028 presidential campaign. For Republicans searching for a way forward, his focus on the party’s failures—and his record of winning in Florida—could make him a consequential alternative in the coming contest.
DeSantis has called the national results comparable to a meteor strike and criticized Republican candidates for failing to offer positive messages that reached voters. He has also argued that Republicans must be candid about higher gas prices linked to the Iran war rather than dismissing voters’ concerns. His recent media appearances have put those arguments before a national audience.
The governor is keeping his options open, though accounts of his plans differ: some people familiar with them say he is preparing to run, while others say he has not made a final decision. He has contacted a national political consultant, and a federal super PAC connected to him sent a fundraising text this week.
DeSantis’s 2024 campaign ended shortly before the New Hampshire primary, after he placed a distant second to Donald Trump in Iowa. Infighting between campaign staff and the outside super PAC, along with overspending, marred the effort despite extensive fundraising. He says he learned to do more media and enter the race earlier. A renewed campaign would still need donor support, and DeSantis is assessing whether there is a lane for him.
Reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer, ABC News.
