The simmering feud between former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis escalated in New Hampshire, highlighting the growing tensions within the GOP ahead of the first presidential debate in August, The Hill reports.
What Happened: DeSantis faced backlash from the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women (NHFRW) for planning an event at the same time the group was hosting Trump.
However, other Republicans in the state defended DeSantis, and a couple of members of the organization quit in protest against its criticism of the governor. The public display of these tensions underscores the importance of New Hampshire in the GOP primary and the bitter feud between Trump and DeSantis.
"It's emblematic of Ron DeSantis's imploding campaign here in New Hampshire and nationwide," Karoline Leavitt, spokeswoman for the pro-Trump super PAC MAGA Inc told The Hill. DeSantis’s campaign, however, described its New Hampshire operation as "top-notch" and expressed confidence that the governor's message would resonate with voters in the state.
See Also: Ron DeSantis Vs. Disney: Governor Requests Federal Judge To Throw Out Lawsuit, Citing Broad Immunity
Why It Matters: The feud between Trump and DeSantis comes amidst a series of events that have seen DeSantis gain ground against Trump in the GOP primary, as reported by Benzinga. DeSantis has been trailing the former president in almost all polls.
His refusal to pledge support for Trump in the 2024 White House race, and Trump’s dipping support below 50% in a key poll, have added a new dimension to the GOP primary race.
"All of this noise about DeSantis is being orchestrated by Trump's allies," according to Dan Eberhart, a DeSantis donor, who talked to The Hill. "It's strategic. They need to create an alternative media narrative to the one about their candidate and his chances of winning a general election. The DeSantis team just have to ignore the noise and carry on."
Read Next: Trump's Top Advisor Pushed To Blow Up Migrant Boats With Drones: Report
Hi, I am the Benzinga Newsbot! I wrote the above article, utilizing the sources I hyperlinked above. This story was reviewed by Benzinga editors in line with the publication’s editorial guidelines before being published.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
