(The Hill) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) hinted on Monday that he will make a decision on a 2024 presidential run after the state’s legislative session wraps up in May, giving the clearest timeline yet of when he could enter the race.
Asked on “Fox & Friends” when he might decide on a White House bid, DeSantis mapped out the coming months, saying that he would embark on a tour to promote his new book, “The Courage to be Free,” and work through the Florida legislature’s regular session, which begins in early March.
“We’re going to sell some books, we’re going to spread the message of Florida. And then on March 8, I have our Legislative Session that’s kicking off,” DeSantis said.
“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” he added. “This is going to be the most productive Legislative Session we have had across the board and I think people are going to be really excited … So those are what we’re going to be doing over these next few months as we get beyond that, then we can decide from there.”
Republican sources have long predicted that DeSantis would wait until after the state legislative session to announce a presidential bid, saying that it would give him a chance to rack up new policy victories so that he hits the campaign trail with fresh momentum.
Republicans now hold supermajorities in both chambers of the state legislature after November’s midterm elections, meaning DeSantis has a clear path to getting some of his biggest policy priorities approved.
But his remarks on Monday were some of the most explicit from the Florida governor on when to expect an announcement. While he’s said little about his 2024 ambitions, he’s widely presumed to be preparing for a campaign, and recent polling suggests that he would enter the race at or near the top of the GOP field.
So far, only two Republicans – former President Trump and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley – have jumped into the race for the White House. That list is expected to grow considerably in the coming months, with other prominent Republicans like former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) weighing campaigns.
