Days after dropping out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned front-runner and former President Donald Trump must find a way to attract the many “checked out” GOP voters who may not show up for him in November.
Mr. DeSantis, 45, told Blaze TV host Steve Deace that his eight-month-long presidential campaign has better prepared him to serve out his final three years as governor and makes him a “much better candidate.”
He also said he wasn’t sure if he’ll try again to win the nomination in 2028.
“We’ll see … if we have a country left by 2028,” Mr. DeSantis said.
He called the 2024 election “a real hinge point in American history,” and he said he would be “active” and “exercising leadership down here in Florida and holding down the fort for freedom.”
Mr. DeSantis said he made a strong impression with voters in Iowa, where he placed second, and many thought he would make a better president “but felt they owed Trump another shot.”
Mr. DeSantis, who was once considered a GOP front-runner for the nomination, quit the race on Sunday, citing low poll numbers and no clear pathway to win the nomination.
He offered a tepid endorsement of Mr. Trump but did not appear alongside other onetime GOP rivals at Mr. Trump’s victory party in New Hampshire Tuesday night following the former president’s primary win.
Back in Florida, Mr. DeSantis has moved his messaging from the campaign trail to social media, boasting on X this week of Florida’s many achievements under his governorship.
He also publicly nixed a proposal to provide up to $5 million for Florida residents running for president who are facing “legal, partisan, political attacks” by the Justice Department or state’s attorneys.
The proposal is aimed at helping the former president pay his mounting legal fees as he battles 91 criminal charges in addition to lawsuits.
Mr. DeSantis subtweeted a news story on X that some Republicans want Florida taxpayers to help Mr. Trump pay his legal bills. In response, Mr. DeSantis posted, “But not the Florida Republican who wields the veto pen.”
Mr. DeSantis told Mr. Deace during the 20-minute interview that Mr. Trump’s campaign must find a way to bring in disaffected GOP voters who he said have so far not participated in the primaries because they do not want to vote for Mr. Trump a third time.
Mr. DeSantis said the 110,000 Republican voters who participated in the Iowa Caucus was “a big warning sign,” because it was far lower than the 186,000 GOP voters who turned out in 2016.
“I think there are some voters that have checked out at this point,” he said. “You’ve got to find a way to get them back.”
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
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