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DeSantis eyes 2024 from afar as GOP rivals move toward runs
AP ^ | 2.3.23 | STEVE PEOPLES, THOMAS BEAUMONT and ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE

Posted on 02/03/2023 6:23:55 AM PST by conservative98

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis may be months away from publicly declaring his presidential intentions, but his potential rivals aren’t holding back.

No fewer than a half dozen Republicans eyeing the White House have begun actively courting top political operatives in states like New Hampshire and Iowa, which traditionally host the opening presidential primary contests. At the same time, former President Donald Trump, the only announced candidate in the race, is launching regular attacks against DeSantis — and others — while locking down key staff and endorsements in early voting South Carolina.

For now, DeSantis is plowing forward with a fiery “anti-woke” agenda in the legislature before a presidential announcement in late spring or early summer. His team is beginning to hold informal conversations with a handful of prospective campaign staff in key states, according to those involved in the discussions.

[cut]

Veteran Republican strategist Ari Fleischer recalled the 2000 presidential campaign when his then-boss, Texas Gov. George W. Bush, successfully waited until mid-June to enter the Republican presidential primary. In the months before the announcement, Bush aggressively worked behind the scenes to line up donors, staff and endorsements.

For DeSantis to adopt a similar winning playbook, Fleischer said, it’s critical to work now to assemble a strong campaign apparatus in private.

[cut]

“So long as (DeSantis) is paddling furiously underwater like a duck, he can afford to wait,” Fleischer said. “The amount of work it takes to build a presidential campaign is phenomenal. I don’t think people understand what’s involved unless they’ve done it. It’s brutal....And if you don’t put the labor into it quietly, privately, it falls apart.”

DeSantis’ team declined to comment on his 2024 plans publicly, but the Florida-governor’s allies expect him to enter the race in late June or early July.

(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2024; 2024gopprimary; arifleischer; asahutchinson; books; booktour; bush; desantis; election2024; fl; florida; karlrove; kengriffin; larryhogan; mikepompeo; nikkihaley; pence; teamdesantis; timscott; trump

1 posted on 02/03/2023 6:23:55 AM PST by conservative98
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To: conservative98

1. It took THREE people to write this ???
ap must be a union shop.

2. There sure does seem to be a lot of Trump folks nervous about DeSantis and he hasn’t even said he’s gonna run.


2 posted on 02/03/2023 6:30:33 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: V_TWIN
Since you're from Florida, what are you're thoughts on my earlier post?
3 posted on 02/03/2023 6:32:50 AM PST by bankwalker (Repeal the 19th ...)
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To: conservative98

elon musk for president 2024...

our turn to install an ineligible african-american in the white hospice...


4 posted on 02/03/2023 6:38:06 AM PST by heavy metal (smiling improves your face value and makes people wonder what the hell you're up to... 😁)
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To: bankwalker

Some Trump people are trying to suggest that if DeSantis runs floridiawill be angry at him for “turning his back on us” in the middle of his term as gov.

Personally I know no one that feels that way...myself included.

I agree with your comments about Trumps advisors....something ain’t right.

Also, IMO President Trump has a blindspot when it comes to personnel and who to trust....maybe that explains the advisor thing.

Peter Navarro literally begged him to fire fauci early ion during covid and he refused.

I knew that was a mistake then.

Also, Birx......at least he did the right thing with scaramouche.


5 posted on 02/03/2023 6:42:48 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: V_TWIN

Im not so much nervous is ..i hope the ticket doesn’t get split and a leftard.. like Newsome wins ..with a little help from his friends.


6 posted on 02/03/2023 6:45:14 AM PST by Leep (Hillary will NEVER be president! 😁)
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To: conservative98

AP, the chamber pot of the news agencies.


7 posted on 02/03/2023 6:47:42 AM PST by Quentin Quarantino
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To: conservative98

“In the short-term, he’s preparing to promote his upcoming book, “The Courage to be Free,” set for release on Feb. 28.”


8 posted on 02/03/2023 6:48:07 AM PST by conservative98
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To: V_TWIN

One frequent complaint I see about DeSantis from Trump backers is that some establishment Republicans seem to like him. So we just saw Lindsey Graham virtually endorse Trump a few days ago.

Does that prove to those who disparage DeSantis that Trump’s not conservative? Of course not. It proves nothing to me about Trump either. He has an undeniable conservative track record - like DeSantis. But if Graham had endorsed DeSantis what would their reaction be? It would prove DeSantis is GOPe!

I do have to wonder though exactly why Graham is backing Trump. Graham may have helped to blunt the red wave last November with his out-of-the-blue head scratching proposal for federal prolife legislation a couple weeks before the election. I am convinced he was trying to hinder the Republicans. Does he want Trump to get the nomination to ensure Biden will be reelected?


9 posted on 02/03/2023 6:55:35 AM PST by lasereye ( )
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To: lasereye

I trust Graham about as far as I can throw my jeep.

Like I said, I’m convinced Trump has a blindspot when it comes to who he can trust.....and in politics that is deadly.

Graham, romney, McDaniel, mcconnell......they’re all clones of each other IMO......and conservatives they ain’t.


10 posted on 02/03/2023 7:03:12 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: conservative98

I would eye it from afar too at this time. He just got done winning Governor and I would imagine he is busy setting up what he plans to do as Governor.


11 posted on 02/03/2023 7:06:56 AM PST by dforest (Joy Behar is a big mouth cow.)
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To: lasereye

I don’t think Graham is a deep strategic thinker on politics or anything else. I think he primarily says stuff to get in the news cycle and get noticed. If there’s a major issue domestic or foreign, you can almost start a countdown as to when Graham will opine on it to a bunch of reporters.

Graham is well well past his sell by date and should be retired. I guess the nabobs of the South Carolina GOP make too much money off Graham’s access to allow a replacement. Graham is a good argument for both repealing the 17th Amendment & Term Limits.

Repeal the 17th Amendment!


12 posted on 02/03/2023 7:09:50 AM PST by Reily
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To: conservative98
Have backed and will back Trump this go-around.

But Trump needs to improve.

Show up on time for "rallies".

Stop just praising yourself for 2 hours... have something to say and just say it.

Don't pick swamp people for critical roles like Attorney General.

Realize that you as POTUS were (and may again be) CINC and take the opportunity (which you failed to do last time) to clean up the military:

Girls off boats and out of combat. Segregate the sexes in training and deployment.

Homos need to be closeted again, or discharged.

Commies out.

Trannies out.

It's not personal, it's national security at stake.

13 posted on 02/03/2023 7:17:42 AM PST by caddie (We must all become Trump, starting now!)
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To: dforest

he’s preparing to promote his upcoming book, “The Courage to be Free,” set for release on Feb. 28.”


14 posted on 02/03/2023 7:17:57 AM PST by conservative98
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To: V_TWIN

With all due respect, Trump is no Conservative, either.


15 posted on 02/03/2023 7:27:59 AM PST by Fireone (The only reason our elections are complicated is because the cheaters want it that way.)
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To: conservative98

I hate it when they do books. I never buy a book from a politician.


16 posted on 02/03/2023 7:35:47 AM PST by dforest (Joy Behar is a big mouth cow.)
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To: conservative98

I was and still am a Trump supporter. If he gets the GOP nomination, I’m all in. With that said, I also really like DeSantis. He’s a firebrand, has shown himself to be a conservative, and he thinks better on his feet than Trump. So many of President Trump’s problems came from speaking before thinking. Of course, that’s what makes Trump Trump. DeSantis is just as savage but doesn’t just shoot from the hip.

Whether it’s Trump or Desantis - or both - the media will attack them endlessly. Put on the full armor now.


17 posted on 02/03/2023 7:38:10 AM PST by Kharis13
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To: conservative98

Look at AP spilling the ink for DeSantis. AP seems very enthusiastic about DeSantis. What a glowing article. I’m a Trump supporter but I’ll have to give DeSantis some real consideration after this favorable AP story. /s


18 posted on 02/03/2023 9:41:45 AM PST by McCarthysGhost (q)
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To: McCarthysGhost

DeSantis isn’t running ...


19 posted on 02/03/2023 9:43:55 AM PST by bankwalker (Repeal the 19th ...)
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To: bankwalker

Oh, so DeSantis has said he’s not running. I must have missed that. Well, AP is getting all excited about nothing then, huh.


20 posted on 02/03/2023 9:47:13 AM PST by McCarthysGhost (q)
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