Ron DeSantis’ campaign explodes in ‘hack op-ed’ and anonymous sources claiming he will drop out if he loses to Trump in Iowa and claims the ex-president’s team is growing ‘desperate’

Ron DeSantis isn’t going anywhere if he loses the Iowa caucuses, his campaign claimed after a report said the Florida governor planned to drop out if he loses the first primary.

The campaign said the anonymous sources cited in a op/ed from The Hill are from Donald Trump’s team and intended to plant a false narrative in the days before the Iowa caucuses on January 15.

“Team Trump needs to get nervous,” DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “They are acting like the left-wing media and spreading fake news from a hack op-ed and anonymous sources.”

“Ron DeSantis is in this for the long haul,” he assured.

The Hill op-ed published Saturday claims a “major donor and high-level political official” say DeSantis will end his 2024 bid if he loses to Trump in Iowa.

The two anonymous sources say, according to the January 6 piece, that the announcement of a total withdrawal would take place either on the evening of the caucuses or the following morning.

In this scenario, DeSantis would skip the Jan. 23 primary in New Hampshire and then reluctantly endorse Trump, the report claims.

But the DeSantis team says this reporting has no validity.

DeSantis would turn the race on its head if he were to defeat Trump in the caucuses – as he is currently well behind his MAGA rival.

He entered the race with sky-high expectations, but struggled to gain traction against Trump.

He has shaken up his campaign staff and recalibrated his message several times over the past year, betting heavily on a strong finish in Iowa.

He visited all 99 counties, aided by an aligned super PAC, Never Back Down, which spent the summer and fall sending organizers door to door to recruit supporters.

But the latest polls suggest it will take a miracle to win, with DeSantis at 18.4 percent and Trump at a solid 50 percent of the vote.

If DeSantis decides to join Trump, he would join a growing trend of Republican politicians supporting the former president.

Recently, Trump has received support from prominent figures such as House Majority Whip Tom Emmer and Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, known for his conservative and faith-based circles, has also recently expressed support for Trump — indicating that momentum for a Trump return is growing within the Republican Party.

Outside of Iowa, DeSantis’ position in New Hampshire also looks decidedly poor, with Trump once again holding a significant lead.

DeSantis ranks fourth in the Granite State with 9.5 percent, trailing former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie with 10.5 percent, Nikki Haley with 24.8 percent and Trump with 46.3 percent.

As losses continue to mount, DeSantis would then likely face criticism from backers urging him to leave the race.

DeSantis may have been better suited for a presidential bid in 2028, but the night of January 15 will tell whether DeSantis will be able to bow out gracefully as the odds turn against him.

DeSantis has had an uphill battle from the start when it comes to connecting with voters and is often accused of being uptight and humorless.

But during his campaign there have been flashes that showed a different side to him.

A video from last May showed him laughing as the 2024 hopeful makes a clear attempt to loosen up.

The video showed the governor talking to a man at a classic car show in Iowa. When DeSantis asks, “I saw you have a 1955 Porsche there. That one is nice. How much is that worth?’

“Um, we’re not even going to talk about that,” the man responds. DeSantis was clearly tickled by the comment and threw his head back to laugh heartily with his mouth open.

An image of DeSantis laughing with his mouth wide open at the same time was also shot by Wall Street Journal reporter John McCormickwho uploaded it to his Twitter account.

While many were quick to joke, others pointed out that the relaxation was a targeted effort.

Opponents have argued in the past that DeSantis has a problem with the “grin and grin” politics, in which lawmakers go out to personally charm voters.

Early in the campaign, it was reported that DeSantis and his team were having “internal conversations” about his need for more small talk, handshaking and eye contact.

Trump, meanwhile, campaigned on Saturday in the first presidential candidate state of Iowa, where he vowed to win “for the third time” as Americans marked the anniversary of the deadly attack on the US Capitol by a mob of his supporters.

Many watched in horror three years ago, on January 6, 2021, as rioters – egged on by the ex-president and fueled by his false claims of voter fraud – stormed the seat of American democracy in an attempt to halt the transition of power. .

In a rambling, two-hour speech to supporters in Newton, Iowa, on Saturday, Trump did not elaborate on the day’s events but described those imprisoned for their role in the attack as “hostages.” He has said that if elected, he will pardon many.

Trump mocked President Joe Biden, his perceived rival in the November election.

He said Biden has overseen the economic downturn and created chaos at the country’s borders while failing to stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“I would absolutely have stopped Putin,” he said.

Trump warned of World War III if Biden is re-elected, adding: “This is our last chance to save America.”

Having never given up on the fiction that he had won the 2020 election, Trump declared that he would win “for the third time” in November.