According to sources familiar with the matter, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is reportedly considering joining the already crowded GOP presidential race as soon as mid-May.
The move is expected to begin with an exploratory committee, with an official campaign launch soon after. Some DeSantis supporters are pushing for a May 11 declaration, while others argue the date may be too soon. However, all sources agree that mid-May is the target date.
National political vendors have reportedly arrived in Tallahassee to compete for work on DeSantis' potential campaign. Sources familiar with the meetings say it seems like a team staffing up, not scaling down.
One source says the discussions suggest that a presidential campaign announcement could launch sooner than expected, even as former President Donald Trump has been leading the polls.
According to a Florida GOP operative familiar with the matter, "Large campaigns require in-house planning, and this has been 'vendors: assemble' week in Tallahassee." The operative said, "it feels like a team that is staffing up, not scaling down."
The news of DeSantis' potential presidential bid comes as the Florida Senate passed a bill on Wednesday allowing the governor to run for President without resigning from his position. However, the account still needs to pass the House.
DeSantis has gained national attention for handling the COVID-19 pandemic and has been a vocal supporter of former President Trump.
With Trump's shadow looming over the Republican Party, DeSantis' potential candidacy could shake up the race and divide the GOP base. It remains to be seen whether DeSantis will officially announce his bid for the presidency, but his supporters are certainly gearing up for the possibility.
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