While political enthusiasts had their eyes glued to New Hampshire this weekend, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was 900 miles away in South Carolina, preparing for what could be the final chapter of his presidential campaign. “I’m asking for your support as we approach this primary next month,” DeSantis appealed to his supporters at a local restaurant in Florence. “I promise to be a unifying candidate for our party, just as I was in Florida. I will always strive to be a candidate you can take pride in. As president, I will deliver results.”
However, DeSantis’ campaign seemed to be in a state of disarray, with last-minute changes to his schedule causing him to cancel appearances on CNN’s “State of the Union” and NBC’s “Meet the Press.” The campaign was quick to quell rumors about his political future, announcing that DeSantis would be in New Hampshire on Sunday.
Despite his determination, DeSantis’ relevance in the race seems to be waning. Following a disappointing second-place finish in Iowa, DeSantis has publicly expressed his frustrations, blaming factors ranging from cold weather to low voter enthusiasm for his performance. He has also acknowledged the advantage held by former President Donald Trump and admitted to the failure of his media strategy.
His Republican rivals have largely dismissed his candidacy, with Trump predicting on his social media that DeSantis will soon run out of funds and drop out of the race. Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who DeSantis has targeted in his South Carolina campaign, stated that she no longer considers DeSantis a threat.
Despite the odds, DeSantis remains focused on South Carolina, particularly on challenging Haley’s conservative credentials. However, his confrontational approach has not been well-received by all, with one local teacher vowing not to vote for him following a heated exchange at a campaign event.
With the South Carolina primary still over a month away, DeSantis’ campaign seems to be focused on disrupting Haley’s performance in her home state. However, it remains unclear how much resources DeSantis has left to make an impact, with his campaign and supporting super PACs having not aired an ad outside of Iowa since mid-November.
As DeSantis continues his campaign in South Carolina, he also made a last-minute appeal to New Hampshire voters in an op-ed published in the New Hampshire Journal. “Support me in the coming New Hampshire primary,” he wrote, “and I will embody the live free or die spirit as your next president.”
Contributor: Kylie Atwood, CNN