(NewsNation) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to file formal paperwork to launch his presidential campaign for the GOP ticket Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter confirmed to NewsNation.
This will coincide with a gathering of potential financial backers in Miami Wednesday and Thursday, DeSantis’ political team confirmed. However, his aides chose not to comment on the timing of his expected entrance into the Republican primary contest.
The governor ramped up his criticism of former President Donald Trump — the current Republican frontrunner, according to recent polling — in the days leading up to the expected announcement. Meanwhile, Trump has also increased the frequency and pointedness of his barbs against DeSantis.
The New York Times reported Thursday that DeSantis said on a call with donors he believed the only “credible” candidates for the presidency were Trump, President Joe Biden and DeSantis himself.
“…I think of those three, two have a chance to get elected president — Biden and me, based on all the data in the swing states, which is not great for the former president and probably insurmountable because people aren’t going to change their view of him,” DeSantis reportedly said.
Friday, DeSantis traveled to the pivotal early-voting state of New Hampshire, greeting a group of state legislators who endorsed him as he tried to demonstrate a broad level of support.
“I honestly believe we have an opportunity to get this whole country going in a much better direction,” he said at the event. “We’ve just completed what I would say is the boldest and far-reaching agenda that we have seen in the modern history of the Republican Party.”
He also sat down with fellow presidential hopeful, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, whose office said he was willing to meet with all potential candidates who visit the state. Sununu’s office said the two governors and competitors “discussed a wide range of issues, including how to do well in the New Hampshire Primary.”
DeSantis’ New Hampshire campaign stop came amid his escalating fight with the Disney Corporation. The dispute centers on how much control the company had over governing its property. Both sides have filed lawsuits. Disney announced Thursday it canceled an almost $1 billion expansion of an office campus in Orlando.
On Friday, DeSantis doubled down on his stance, stating to an attendee that “the chance of us backing down on that is zero.”
