Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, is about to announce that he is running for president.
According to rumors, DeSantis and Twitter CEO Elon Musk are scheduled to speak as the announcement is made. On Wednesday at 6 p.m. ET, the event will take place on Twitter Spaces, the platform’s audio chat function. David Sacks, a software entrepreneur who is close to Musk and a backer of DeSantis, will chair the conversation.
The campaign will release its inaugural video that evening after the announcement. After the Memorial Day weekend, Governor DeSantis will also start traveling to a number of early states.
“The relationship could be a significant boost for DeSantis by giving him an introduction to, and credibility with, Musk’s massive following — including his 140 million Twitter followers. But it could prove a burden should DeSantis become distracted by the tycoon’s many controversial comments,” according to NBC News
The launch will closely tie together the billionaire tech mogul with one of the Republican Party’s rising stars. Musk has been an admirer of DeSantis, who also regularly chides corporate media. Last year, Musk said he would support the governor if he were to run for president.
The announcement will coincide with a retreat for high-end fundraisers pledged to support DeSantis in Miami. Bundlers will gather at the Four Seasons hotel from May 24-26, receiving briefings from campaign staff, combined with time to call around to raise money for the campaign.
The DeSantis team has been in talks with Musk for at least the last few weeks, according to a source familiar with the discussions. In those conversations, the source said, Musk has indicated he doesn’t think former President Donald Trump can win back the White House.
“He’s interested in the future, and he’s interested in winning again,” the person said.
It’s not clear if Musk will formally endorse DeSantis on Wednesday, but another source said that within DeSantis’ team, his participation is viewed as a clear sign of support for the governor.
In order to increase support among Republicans in the presidential election, DeSantis will need to strike a balance between the benefits of Musk’s endorsement and any potential drawbacks seeing that former President Trump has such a commanding lead in the polls so far.
Politico reported on the situation as more Republicans announce they are running for the top office in the land.
“Sen. Tim Scott is running for president. Donald Trump, the Republican he’s taking on, couldn’t be more pleased,” the outlet noted on Monday.
The former president and his aides have long viewed a crowded GOP primary as advantageous to the ex-president’s chances of winning the 2024 presidential primary race, believing a splintered field only hurts his main competitors. Scott’s entrance was judged, in part, by the question: was it good or bad for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ chances of winning? Among the Trump faithful, the answer was, it certainly doesn’t help.
“The more the merrier,” said one Trump adviser of Scott’s announcement. “Tim Scott doesn’t have to write ‘Be Likeable’ at the top of his notepad,” referencing a video from a 2018 DeSantis debate prep where he was advised to be “likeable” to the audience.
Trump aides have been buoyed in recent days by signs that the ‘24 primary field is about to get crowded. Scott has jumped in and DeSantis and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, an ally turned foe of Trump, are also expected to announce bids soon. There is a belief, internally, that any new entrant will take voters away from the Florida governor (Trump’s closest competitor for the nomination). The challenge they have is to decide which of those candidates to badger or welcome.
“The general thinking is that Scott getting in is another sign that there is blood in the water for DeSantis — it’s no coincidence that multiple people are getting in the ring in the last few days,” another adviser to Trump said.
Trump weighed in on the situation on his Truth Social platform on Monday:
“Laura Ingraham on FoxNews just did a hit piece on me (there go her ratings!) showing some polls which indicate that Ron DeSanctimonious may do better against Biden than I would, when actually polls show that I do MUCH better against Biden than “Rob.” The poll your looking at now, which has me doing far better against Crooked Joe, was just put out by FOX, I am sure unhappily. I’m also leading DeSanctus by over 40 points in Primary Voting. Watch Greg Kelly on Newsmax at 10:00 P.M.,” the former President stated.
Last week Trump posted: “As I said – Ron is unelectable. I am up on Crooked Joe Biden by, at least, 7 and Ron DeSanctimonious is losing by 4. His “campaign” has been a total disaster!”
Today Trump posted that Democrats are interfering in the election again.
“Just had New York County Supreme Court hearing where I believe my First Amendment Rights,“Freedom of Speech,” have been violated, and they forced upon us a trial date of March 25th, right in the middle of Primary season. Very unfair, but this is exactly what the Radical Left Democrats wanted. It’s called ELECTION INTERFERENCE, and nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before!!!”
