Breaking
Updated Jan 21, 2024, 03:52pm EST
Topline
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ended his failed presidential campaign Sunday—in inauspicious fashion, misquoting Winston Churchill—leaving South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as the sole competitor to Donald Trump.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Key Facts
DeSantis made the announcement in a video posted Sunday to X, in which he conceded his campaign does not “have a clear path to victory.”
On X, he also included a quote—“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”—that he attributed to Winston Churchill, but the International Churchill Society has called it a fake quote.
The Florida governor endorsed Trump, declaring he “is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden.”
The announcement comes just two days before the primary in New Hampshire—where DeSantis is polling in the single digits—and less than a week after he placed second in the Iowa caucuses, netting 21% of votes compared to Trump’s 51%.
DeSantis posted the video moments after the New York Times reported he was preparing to drop out of the race Sunday.
DeSantis, once seen as the most formidable challenger to Trump, has been on a downward spiral almost since the moment he launched his campaign in May, suffering a series of embarrassments and missteps, including internal strife among his allies, one-time backers distancing themselves from him and relentless attacks from Trump, all while waging a polarizing culture war in Florida.
Further Reading
Ron DeSantis Ends Campaign With Fake Quote From Winston Churchill (Forbes)
Here’s How Much Ron DeSantis Is Worth (Forbes)
Here Are All The Prominent Conservatives Telling DeSantis To Drop Out (Forbes)
