Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis officially submitted his candidacy paperwork May 24, and almost three months later, Donald Trump’s closest opponent in opinion polling will debate most of his GOP rivals Wednesday — while Trump sits on the sidelines.
The first debate, which will be televised on Fox News, a unit of Fox Corporation FOX FOXA and streamed on Rumble Inc RUM, will see DeSantis, Asa Hutchinson, Chris Christie, Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott and Doug Burgum face off beginning at 9 p.m. ET.
During the event, viewers will gain insight into how the eight candidates say they will tackle key topics important to Republicans such as the economy, government spending, taxes, immigration, crime, Social Security and Medicare.
While the debate will focus on DeSantis’ and his opponent's stance on these critical issues, some voters may be interested to learn further details about the Florida governor that may not be covered during the on-air discussion.
A look back at five things you may not know about DeSantis:
1) DeSantis Banned The Use Of CBDCs In Florida: Many are aware of DeSantis' ongoing battle against Walt Disney, stemming from Disney’s opposition to the state's “Don’t Say Gay” bill, but the Florida governor also opposes the use of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs).
DeSantis signed a bill on May 13 outlawing the use of CBDCs, saying the move will protect Floridians from government surveillance. The bill made Florida the first state to enact legislation banning CBDCs, and other states look set to follow suit.
2) The Florida Governor Has Been Heavily Criticized For A Perceived Lack Of Personality: DeSantis' biggest opponent, Trump, has taken shots at the governor for his lack of people skills, posting on Truth Social that “the problem with Ron DeSanctimonious is that he needs a Personality Transplant.”
Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, who usually opposes her uncle, agreed that DeSantis is unlikable and awkward around people following a trip he took overseas. When DeSantis released his memoir “The Courage To Be Free” in March, New York Times book critic Jennifer Szalai also attacked the governor, calling the book “free of anything that resembles charisma.”
3) DeSantis Recently Gained The Support Of A Former Trump Ally: Hal Lambert, who launched the Point Bridge America First ETF in 2017, has changed his allegiance, according to a report.
Lambert, who supported Trump in 2016 and served on his inaugural committee, told the New York Post on Sunday he will support DeSantis in 2024 and that he “[plans] to do a lot to help DeSantis win.” Lambert’s MAGA ETF holds $18.5 million in assets and tracks stocks in the S&P 500 that donate to the Republican Party, such as FedEx and Eli Lilly.
4) DeSantis’ Choice To Announce Presidential Bid On Twitter Irked Trump: Instead of announcing his bid for the candidacy in a formal manner, like at a rally, DeSantis’ decision to announce on Twitter Spaces with Elon Musk will give the governor access to the Tesla CEO’s massive fan base. Many of whom are Republican, and likely former Trump voters.
While Trump claimed Truth Social saw record active users in April, the former president may feel insecure about the large audience DeSantis will have on Wednesday, prompting Trump to take aim at the governor. "This way he doesn't have to interact with people and the media can't ask him any questions," Trump told Politico.
5) Like Trump, DeSantis Has Had Friendships With Convicts: Ukrainian-American businessman Lev Parnas is a convicted criminal and claims to have worked closely with DeSantis.
A former Trump insider and ex-Rudy Giuliani associate, Parnas was found guilty on several charges, including fraud and campaign finance crimes, according to CNN, and was sentenced to 20 months in prison. Parnas referred to DeSantis as his “friend,” and text messages show the governor reached out to the disgraced businessman more than 20 times over text to seek support in 2018.
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