The withdrawal of the Florida governor from the presidential race on Sunday marked the conclusion of a week of internal deliberations following his distant second-place finish in Iowa.
Several of his most trusted advisors gathered at the Governor’s Mansion in Tallahassee for a final discussion regarding the future of his presidential campaign, as informed by a source familiar with the discourse.
Subsequently, DeSantis and his wife, Casey, departed from the advisors to engage in a private conversation in the upper residence. It was during this discourse that the decision was made to terminate a campaign lacking a viable trajectory. Upon rejoining the advisors, DeSantis had already scripted lines for the announcement, signaling the suspension of his campaign.
The conversations at the Governor’s Mansion marked the culmination of almost a week of dialogues between DeSantis and his advisors, commencing the Monday night following his distant second-place ranking to former President Donald Trump in the Iowa caucuses.
Representative Chip Roy, R-Texas, a prominent supporter of DeSantis, traveled to Tallahassee for the conclusive round of talks, assisting DeSantis in evaluating the merits of exiting the race before the New Hampshire primary and the considerations of endorsing Trump, according to individuals familiar with Roy’s role.
Contacted by phone on Sunday night, Roy stated that he had been “continuously talking to the governor” during the campaign and believed “he took the right step” in truncating the campaign and endorsing Trump. He refrained from divulging details of his conversations with DeSantis.
DeSantis had aspired to extend his primary contest against Trump and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley beyond the New Hampshire primary into South Carolina, where there was perceived potential for gaining traction over the next month.
However, financial support was dwindling, and the campaign, along with its affiliated super PACs, couldn’t generate sufficient funds to replenish the tens of millions of dollars expended in an unsuccessful attempt to secure victory in Iowa. DeSantis sought to comprehend the events in Iowa and scrutinized his prospects in upcoming states, peppering advisors with inquiries while continuing his campaign.
For several days, DeSantis traversed the East Coast, moving in and out of South Carolina, New Hampshire, and Florida, with no discernible alteration in his fortunes. Decisions to prioritize South Carolina over New Hampshire were conveyed to the media, rescinded, and subsequently reconfigured. Throughout, polls indicated single-digit standings for DeSantis in New Hampshire, positioning him to finish well behind both Trump and Haley, with South Carolina showing little improvement.
By Thursday, “the information gaps were closed,” as per the individual familiar with DeSantis’ deliberations. Nevertheless, DeSantis desired one more interaction with voters and journeyed to New Hampshire and South Carolina to gain a final perspective on the electorate. Following his last event in South Carolina on Saturday, he returned home to Tallahassee, where the final decision would be made.
In the hours preceding the announcement to suspend the campaign, planned appearances on Sunday television shows, including NBC’s “Meet the Press,” were canceled, leading both allies and adversaries to conclude his imminent withdrawal.
“Everyone wanted to stay in until South Carolina, but raising money became so hard, and it was not going to get easier,” remarked a DeSantis advisor.
DeSantis revealed his departure in a post on X, concurrently endorsing Trump.
“They have had obvious huge policy differences, but he sees Nikki as a corporate sellout and globalist and, outside of Covid, philosophically agrees with Trump,” the advisor explained. “That decision needed to be made, as far as he is concerned.”
DeSantis had previously criticized Trump during the campaign for federal guidelines on social distancing and masking and for endorsing vaccines in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, there was unanimity within his inner circle that endorsing Trump was the prudent choice.
Until the announcement, the decision was confined to a tight-knit circle of advisors. Campaign surrogate and donor Dan Eberhart learned of the campaign’s termination while en route to New Hampshire. Several other aides to DeSantis’ campaign and super PACs were not forewarned.
Neither DeSantis nor his advisors engaged in any negotiations or discussions with Trump’s team, confirmed a senior Trump advisor.
While DeSantis allies were not surprised by the denouement, the timing did catch them off guard.
“I am not shocked,” stated Eberhart. “I thought he would have been the best president, but he wasn’t the best candidate.”
DeSantis, once perceived as a formidable contender for Trump’s third consecutive nomination, weathered attacks from the former president for months before entering the race in May. His initial campaign activities included several awkward interactions with voters and the news media in Iowa and New Hampshire.
Trump’s camp ridiculed him for a technological glitch during his campaign launch, for reportedly eating pudding with his fingers, and for wearing boots with heels that added extra height. Trump consistently mocked him as “Ron DeSanctimonious.”
DeSantis’ poll numbers began to decline amid early attacks and as some Republican voters rallied to Trump after his indictment in a hush-money case in New York, followed by indictments in three other jurisdictions.
Although DeSantis exhibited greater comfort on the stump in the final stages of the campaign, as well as on the debate stage, he couldn’t overcome a series of strategic, tactical, and rhetorical missteps.
DeSantis’ campaign experienced overspending in the summer, leading to staffing cuts. Much of the campaign work was outsourced to a super PAC called Never Back Down, to which over $80 million in leftover state-level campaign funds were transferred. Unable to coordinate legally, conflicts arose between the campaign and the super PAC. The cash-strapped campaign ultimately replaced its original chief, Generra Peck, with James Uthmeier.
In the weeks before the Iowa caucuses, with Haley gaining traction in polls, DeSantis and his team began adjusting their goals. The initial claim of winning Iowa transformed into a desire for a strong second-place finish and, ultimately, avoiding an embarrassing third-place showing.
Following DeSantis’ surpassing late polling to secure second place in Iowa, he pledged to persevere — aspiring to shake off Haley and engage in a one-on-one contest with Trump. In the end, it was Haley who emerged as the only serious rival to Trump.
Blaise Ingoglia, a Florida state senator closely allied with DeSantis, expressed surprise at the timing of DeSantis’ departure on Sunday afternoon. Nevertheless, the news itself wasn’t unexpected.
Ingoglia had a statement “prepared in advance” and swiftly posted it on X, endorsing Trump. “Although this is not his time,” Ingoglia stated, “I have all the confidence in his ability and his passion to continue fighting not only for Floridians but for the greatness that is the United States of America.”
Many DeSantis allies anticipate his return in 2028, when there is no incumbent president or a multi-time Republican nominee blocking his path.
In the interim, a source familiar with DeSantis’ schedule revealed that he is spending time with his family in Florida, with no plans to campaign with Trump.