Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ended his failed presidential campaign Sunday, leaving South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as the sole competitor to Donald Trump.
Key Takeaways
- DeSantis made the announcement in a video posted Sunday to X, in which he conceded his campaign does not “have a clear path to victory.”
- The Florida governor endorsed Trump, declaring he “is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden.”
- The announcement comes just two days before the primary in New Hampshire—where DeSantis is polling in the single digits—and less than a week after he placed second in the Iowa caucuses, netting 21% of votes compared to Trump’s 51%.
- DeSantis posted the video moments after the New York Times reported he was preparing to drop out of the race Sunday.
- DeSantis, once seen as the most formidable challenger to Trump, has been on a downward spiral almost since the moment he launched his campaign in May, suffering a series of embarrassments and missteps, including internal strife among his allies, one-time backers distancing themselves from him and relentless attacks from Trump, all while waging a polarizing culture war in Florida.
This is a developing story. More to come.