Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dismissed rumors of him running for president in 2024, referring to the subject as “purely manufactured.”
“All the speculation about me is purely manufactured,” DeSantis said during a news conference to discuss a new COVID-19 treatment unit in St. Cloud, Florida. “I just do my job and we work hard… I hear all this stuff and honestly it’s nonsense.”
He delivered the comment on the subject days before heading to a Nebraska event with other potential 2024 candidates to celebrate agriculture on September 12 in Nebraska City.
During the gathering, DeSantis will speak alongside former Vice President Mike Pence and Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
The event will also correspond with Gov. Pete Ricketts’ annual steak fry, which is being held at Arbor Lodge Historical Park.
DeSantis’ proposal on new initiatives to help law enforcement offices hire more personnel across the state earned him a good outlook noting that he aims for Florida to boost confidence by offering incentives to potential officers seeking work.
The three proposals aimed at helping Florida “strengthen” its law enforcement personnel include a $5,000 signing bonus “for anybody who is new to law enforcement in the state” or for those moving into the state; a new recruitment program that covers “up to $1,000” of costs for applications and training for officers coming into Florida from other states; and the creation of a law enforcement academy scholarship program.
“We’re proud in Florida of being a state where people who are in uniform know they’re appreciated, they know they have the support — certainly of the governor and the attorney general, but also our legislature and the people throughout the state of Florida,” DeSantis said during a press conference held at the Lakeland Police Department.
“The Same” as Trump
The Florida governor expressed disagreement against many policies implemented by current US President Joe Biden’s administration, in particular the mask mandates and lockdown measures throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, relatively bearing comparison to former president Donald Trump.
Trump, in April, said he would “certainly” consider DeSantis as his running mate should he run for president again.
“I endorsed Ron and after I endorsed him he took off like a rocket ship,” Trump said at the time. “He’s done a great job as governor.”
DeSantis narrowly edged out Trump in a 2024 straw poll at the Western Conservative Summit over the summer.
The straw poll at the summit, which Colorado Christian University’s Centennial Institute hosted, asked people attending the gathering both in-person and on-line to vote for all of the potential 2024 presidential contenders that they approve of out of 31 choices of both Republicans and Democrats. DeSantis received 74% approval, followed by Trump at 71%.
