Tipsheet

Here's What Ron DeSantis Said When Asked Whether He Will Run for President in 2028

Gov. Ron DeSantis has not yet committed to running for president again in 2028, but it appears he thinks he has a good chance if he does decide to throw his hat into the ring.

Fox News’ Sean Hannity asked DeSantis about his plans for 2028 during a recent interview. “Will you run for president again?” he asked.

“We'll see,” DeSantis said. “I mean…in 24, like in Iowa, the people that voted for Trump, if he wasn't running, I would have gotten like 90 percent of those. Those people, they were conservative voters. They didn't want the non conservative…they wanted me. And so, but the timing didn't work out, obviously, for that, so you just got to see what happens.”

Hannity and DeSantis explored other issues like the governor’s wife’s cancer diagnosis and his debate with California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

DeSantis was seen as the biggest possible threat to President Donald Trump’s chances of securing the 2024 GOP nomination. But he quickly began losing momentum as his campaign struggled to find a clear message that would position him as the better alternative. His poll numbers began to declined shortly after he announced his candidacy.

In Iowa, he finished a distant second place to President Trump after pouring time and resources into the state. NBC News described his campaign as “a total failure to launch.”

DeSantis ended his campaign on Jan. 21, 2024 after facing poor prospects in New Hampshire and other states. He endorsed Trump, saying he was “superior to the current incumbent Joe Biden.”

As it stands currently, DeSantis is a second-tier prospect for 2028, trailing behind Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in early primary polling. A February poll found DeSantis at about six percent among likely GOP primary voters. Vance polled above 50 percent and Rubio near 20 percent.

It’s still early, so much could change between now and when the next presidential campaign cycle starts. If DeSantis’ team learns from its first performance in 2024, the governor could become a strong contender.