Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dropped out of the 2024 presidential race Sunday and endorsed former President Donald Trump in the race, sparking applause from some social media commenters.
"If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it. But I can't ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources if we don't have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign," DeSantis said Sunday in a video posted to his X account Sunday afternoon.
DeSantis continued that despite previously having disagreements with Trump, he is throwing his support behind the 45th president in his run for the White House this year.
"It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance," he said, adding: "He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents."
DESANTIS SUSPENDS CAMPAIGN, TWO DAYS TILL NEW HAMPSHIRE IT'S A TWO-PERSON PRIMARY
The announcement was made just before the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday, and after Trump easily won the Iowa caucuses last week.
Some Republicans and conservatives on social media celebrated the move as one that would strengthen Trump's campaign to defeat President Biden come November, while others thanked DeSantis for his conservative policies on the campaign trail.
"GREAT move by Governor Ron DeSantis! President @realDonaldTrump is uniting the GOP & we are closer than ever to taking our country back! #Trump2024," former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake posted on X.
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Republican Texas Rep. Chip Roy, who endorsed DeSantis' presidential run, said he was proud of the campaign and added "we will restore freedom & American prosperity again."
The announcement comes just ahead of the New Hampshire primary, where polls show Trump is leading the race against top primary competitor Nikki Haley.
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Trump has 55% support among those likely to vote in the primary, compared to Haley's 36% support and DeSantis' 6% support, a Suffolk University, the Boston Globe and NBC10 poll found. Other polls have found a tighter margin between Trump and Haley, including a CNN poll that found Trump has 50% support to Haley's 39%.
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The New Hampshire race will now include only Trump and Haley.
