DES MOINES, IOWA - JANUARY 10, 2024: Republican presidential candidates Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley participate in the CNN Republican Presidential Primary Debate in Sheslow Auditorium at Drake University. DeSantis and Haley both qualified for this final debate before the Iowa caucuses, while former President Donald Trump declined to participate and instead held a simultaneous town hall event live on FOX News. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON (CC) - In a stunning move that one Christian Commander analyst saw coming from miles away, popular Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended his failing 2024 presidential campaign this afternoon. Mr. DeSantis posted a recorded message at around 3:00 p.m. EST on social media in which he endorsed Donald Trump.
The Floridian finished a record distant second to the 45th U.S. President in the Iowa Republican caucuses on MLK, JR. Day. DeSantis had this to say in his announcement.
"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."
In endorsing Trump, DeSantis declared that despite their disagreements about the pandemic and the elevation of Dr. Anthony Fauci that "Trump is superior to Joe Biden. That is clear."
The governor's message was released two days before New Hampshire's Republican primary is scheduled to occur.
The GOP's 2024 presidential candidate field started with 14 hopefuls, including Trump's former vice president Mike Pence. Now only Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley remain.
DeSantis' move raised questions regarding Haley's campaign strength. Not many experts are expecting her campaign to last much longer.
When asked this afternoon, by CNN's Dana Bash if she would support Donald Trump if she was not the nominee Haley said, "Its going to be me" [who is the nominee].
She said DeSantis had not called her before making his announcement today.
Haley who resigned as governor in Jan. 2017 to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations in the Trump administration added, "I'm going to finish this so Joe Biden and Donald Trump are not an issue at all. That we actually put them in the past and we go forward, because our country deserves it and Americans want it. We're tired."
She vowed to stay in the race against Mr. Trump at least through the South Carolina primary on February 24.
She has to deal with the fact that both South Carolina senators, Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, plus the current governor Henry McMaster have already endorsed Trump over her. She appointed Scott to his post in 2012 before he won on his own in 2014.
Scott was one of the 2024 Republican hopefuls for the presidential nomination but suspended his campaign in November 2023.
Before and after Trump's historic landslide margin of victory in the Iowa caucuses last week, a plethora of analysts said the 2024 Republican race for the nomination is a charade because no GOP candidate has a chance of beating Trump.
As clearly one of the Republican Party's most popular candidates in its long history, he is eager to face President Joe Biden in a rematch that would mark the first time former Presidents run on opposing sides of a U.S. presidential election.
Mr. Trump said that he was "very honored" by DeSantis endorsing him.
It is not abundantly clear what is next for Mr. DeSantis, other than remaining Florida's accomplished Gov.
I thought he would keep going. Surprised me.