Desantis to visit early primary states
Possible candidate for president may be going to Iowa
Gov. Ron Desantis of Florida will make his debut appearances in three early presidential primary states in the next several weeks, according to two people briefed on his plans, selling his performance in his own state as he lays the groundwork for an expected presidential campaign.
Desantis is tentatively expected to appear in Iowa during the first half of March, making stops in Davenport and Des Moines, according to the people briefed on his schedule who requested anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the plans publicly. Shortly after, he is expected to appear in Nevada, an early primary state, followed
a few weeks later by an expected trip to Manchester, New Hampshire.
An appearance in South Carolina is also being discussed, according to the people briefed.
An aide to Desantis declined to comment on his planned appearances.
Hitting the traditional early primary states as he discusses his new book, “The Courage to Be Free:
Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival,” allows Desantis to unofficially test the waters and introduce himself nationally.
Desantis is also expected on Sunday in California at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, a place that has often been a launching pad for presidential candidacies. And there are stops expected in a handful of other states, including New York. There’s also discussion of a stop in Peoria, Illinois. Rep. Darin Lahood said that Desantis’ advisers had reached out about a possible visit to his district there. Lahood hosted former Vice President Mike Pence, who is considering a presidential campaign of his own, last summer as he made a string of public appearances before a book tour.
A chunk of the Republican electorate, some conservative activists and a number of major donors have already pinned their hopes on Desantis as the future of the party as they seek to move on from former President Donald Trump. They have praised his aggressive style and use of the powers of his office, and his willingness to dive into battles over cultural issues that have come to define the modern Republican Party.
Trump still leads the field in a number of national opinion polls, with others showing Desantis ahead. A recent Fox News poll showed Trump leading Desantis by 15 points, 43 percent to 28 percent, and a Morning Consult poll showed a wider margin, 18 percent. But it’s the early states where Desantis will seek to stake his claim on the nomination if he runs.
Desantis is already a known entity to Fox News viewers and conservative activists. His culture war fights are often highlighted by conservative activists online. But beyond a specific audience, his image nationally is still being formed.
For Republicans supporting a Desantis candidacy based on his record in Florida — and based on their desire to stop Trump — his performance on the road will give a sense of how he might fare in a national campaign’s more intense glare.