DeSantis warns Trump conviction ‘would be fatal’ in 2024, still promises to uphold loyalty pledge

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis warned that a conviction of former President Donald Trump “would be fatal” for Trump’s electoral chances in 2024, but maintained he would support the former president due to the loyalty pledge he signed.

Trump faces four criminal cases, relating to classified documents, the 2020 election, election interference in Georgia, and alleged hush money payments to a porn star.

Appearing on MSNBC, DeSantis was asked, “Do you really believe that a man that’s convicted of, say, attempting to overturn the 2020 election… or taking nuclear secrets back to his beach club… do you actually [believe] that person should be president?”

“I signed a pledge,” DeSantis said.

“Now, do I think somebody, under those circumstances, could get elected president? The answer is ‘no,’ that will not happen,” he said. “I think that Republican voters will understand that as we get closer to voting.”

“It would be fatal,” the governor said. “And I don’t think the party should nominate in that situation.”

“I don’t think it’s gonna come to that,” he said. “We’ll get the job done, like we need to.”

On standing behind the loyalty pledge he signed with the Republican Party, DeSantis said he’s not going to “pout” if the primary doesn’t go his way.

“That was, kind of, my rationale for doing it,” he said.

DeSantis has repeatedly urged Trump to show up to the Republican primary debates, though the former president has showed no indication he plans to do so.

The third primary debate will take place on Nov. 8 in Miami, hosted by NBC.

As of early-November, Trump holds a hefty lead in the Republican primary both nationally and in the early caucus and primary states.

Per RealClearPolitics, Trump hit another all-time high this week in the primary, averaging 59.3% support and leading DeSantis by nearly 46%.