As the primary election season quickly approaches, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) faces an increasingly uphill battle. His main competitor for a distant second place in the GOP primary race, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, has seen a surge in support, particularly in Iowa, where the two are now tied far behind President Donald Trump. This surge comes after Haley’s strong stance on supporting Israel and Ukraine, as well as her clear commitment to backing them up financially.
During an interview this week on Fox News Channel’s “Your World,” anchor Neil Cavuto asked DeSantis if he would consider dropping out of the race given Haley’s rise in the polls. DeSantis responded that he has been clear on his support for Israel, saying, “I’ve been much clearer on Israel. I mean, I said from the beginning, no Gaza refugees.” However, Cavuto pointed out that Haley is increasingly seen as an acceptable number two to President Trump, while DeSantis is not.
JUST IN – The Trump campaign has released an official statement on the #BOOTGATE Scandal that is rocking the political world https://t.co/2K9gxo0Cst
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) October 31, 2023
Trump, who remains the faraway frontrunner in the race, has distanced himself from DeSantis, with his campaign referring to the Florida governor as “Ron DeSanctimonious.” The Trump campaign has also seized on the recent “bootgate” controversy, where DeSantis was accused of wearing inserts in his boots to appear taller. A statement from Trump spokesman Steven Cheung called the incident the “Kiss of Death” for DeSantis. It ridiculed him for not being “comfortable in his own skin.”
LOVE TO SEE #bootgate TRENDING!!!😭🤣🤣🤣pic.twitter.com/fuU1M63GvZ
— il Donaldo Trumpo (@PapiTrumpo) October 31, 2023
DeSantis is facing a tough road ahead. In addition to the competition from Haley, he is also dealing with a lack of support from President Trump, who remains the most potent force in the Republican party. Despite these challenges, DeSantis has stated that he is committed to staying in the race and will continue campaigning vigorously.
With the primary election season just around the corner, it will be interesting to see how DeSantis navigates these challenges and whether he can regain momentum. If he can’t, it could spell the end of his presidential bid and possibly harm his political future. Only time will tell, but one thing is sure: the road to the Republican nomination will not be easy for DeSantis.
