After months of speculation, Ron DeSantis, the Republican governor of Florida, filed his candidacy for the race for the White House on Wednesday, May 24. The 44-year-old governor was eagerly awaited by some Republicans who are looking for an alternative to Donald Trump whose ideas he shares, but with a more polite tone.
To launch his campaign, Ron DeSantis chose to surprise. He has planned a live exchange on Twitter Wednesday evening (French time), a great first. It was Elon Musk himself, the owner of the bluebird platform, one of the richest men on the planet, who was to speak with the candidate. A first choice of campaign that is surprising when less than 20% of Americans use this social network and Elon Musk is a controversial personality. In buying the platform, he said that "to earn the public's trust, Twitter must remain politically neutral." Two days ago, the billionaire assured that he did not intend to support this or that candidate. Can we believe it? Last July, he said DeSantis wouldn't even need to campaign to beat Biden... And in November, he answered "yes" to the question "Do you support DeSantis?" In any case, DeSantis' announcement is a good publicity stunt for Musk, who promised "real-time, unprepared Q&A."
Once officially in the running, DeSantis will pursue a more traditional strategy. Right after his announcement, he will preside over a fundraising dinner at a luxury restaurant in Miami. He will increase travel to the American states that vote first, such as New Hampshire or Iowa, with the aim of making lie all those, Trump in the lead, who accuse him of totally lacking personality. His political action committee (PAC), called Never Back Down, already has $110 million and plans to raise some $100 million more very quickly, mainly from billionaires, often from Silicon Valley, such as... Musk. Starting Thursday, it will recruit volunteers and employees for the campaign. Objective: to have 2,600 organizers in place by early September.
"Mini Trump"
A formidable opponent now stands in front of Donald Trump and the battle for the Republican Party nomination promises to be fierce. If the ex-president enjoys an average lead of 30 points in the polls, it was before the governor entered the arena. For months, Trump has bombarded DeSantis with harsh criticism without him really reacting. Everything should change in the coming days and weeks. And in this battle, the other four declared candidates, who together total barely 10%, will have a hard time making themselves heard.
But faced with this new competitor, the former tenant of the White House has not played all his cards. Trump's coffers are full too... The former president has for him the unwavering support of his base, the experience of national campaigns, the support of dozens of governors and Republican deputies, including several ... of Florida. But he remains surrounded by his legal affairs and he has created quite a few enemies in the Republican ranks.
DeSantis is much more than a "mini Trump but without the charm of the latter," as Nikki Haley, a rival for the nomination, mocked. If the two candidates share a right-wing economic program, DeSantis has been especially noted for his resolutely conservative positions in the culture wars that are tearing the country apart: against right-thinking (the famous "wokism"), against mandatory vaccination mandates (a position welcomed by Musk at the time), against the teaching of sexuality in elementary school, against the possibility of obtaining an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, for very strict immigration control, etc. So many positions that risk handicapping him if it is he who finds himself facing President Biden in November 2024.
Even in late winter, the Trump camp hoped that the support of his base and his rise in the polls would convince DeSantis not to stand in the way of the ex-president. And to reserve for the presidential election of 2028. Miscalculation. The race is on.