Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday said President Joe Biden will defeat former President Donald Trump in the 2024 U.S. general election.
What Happened: In a Fox News interview, DeSantis pointed out that he outperforms Trump against Biden in key states like Georgia and Arizona.
"I beat Biden in Georgia, Trump doesn't. I beat Biden soundly in Arizona, Trump doesn't," DeSantis said.
"Those are just the realities."
However, DeSantis’ sentiment is not shared by many Republican voters. A new poll from The New York Times and Siena College shows Trump leading the Republican field with 54% support, compared to DeSantis’ 17%.
The poll also indicated that Republican voters see Trump as more likely to beat Biden than DeSantis.
DeSantis argued that Trump would struggle to assemble a competent team, hindering his political effectiveness. He also suggested that Trump’s inability to attract capable personnel would prevent him from successfully challenging Biden.
"I don't think so, because I think that there's too many voters who just aren't going to vote for him going forward," DeSantis said when asked if he does not believe that Trump has the potential to secure victory in a general election.
See Also: GOP’s Tim Scott Reminds DeSantis There Was No Silver Lining In Slavery, It Was Just Devastating
Why It Matters: DeSantis’ remarks come amid reports of his campaign firing more than 40% of its original staff as it struggles to close the gap with Trump.
The campaign revamp has been prompted by concerns about its fundraising operation, with some top donors looking elsewhere in the primary for an alternative to Trump.
Meanwhile, the Republican strategist, who previously led a PAC dedicated to urging the Florida governor to run for president, has parted ways with the organization due to a change in his position on the candidate.”I don’t think it’s the campaign’s fault at all; it’s his. I think he’s been a very flawed candidate,” Ed Rollins told Rolling Stone.
Photo by Leonard Zhukovsky and Evan El-Amin on Shutterstock
Read Next: Donald Trump Thinks He Can Do Whatever He Wants, Former White House NSA Weighs In On New Charges
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.