Ron DeSantis denies rumor he’ll drop out after Iowa as ‘fabricated lie’
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis’ campaign, and the governor himself, denied a rumor that he will drop out of the 2024 presidential race after Iowa, assuming he loses to former President Donald Trump in the first-in-the-nation caucus state.
Douglas MacKinnon wrote an opinion piece for The Hill citing “two people very familiar with the DeSantis campaign” that DeSantis will drop out the night of the Iowa caucus, or the morning after, and will endorse Trump “begrudgingly.”
After the article went viral online, DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin shot down the rumor, saying “Team Trump must be getting nervous” and characterizing it as “fake news.”
“Ron DeSantis is in this for the long haul,” Griffin said.
Fox News reporter Bill Melugin said DeSantis also personally denied the rumor.
“Those reports are categorically false,” DeSantis reportedly told Melugin, calling the report a “fabricated lie.”
DeSantis has amped up criticisms of Trump in the leadup to the Iowa caucus on Jan. 15, slamming the former president for not fulfilling 2016 campaign promises and not building the wall “like he promised.”
Monday, Fox News will host a town hall with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. On Tuesday, the network will host one with DeSantis.
Wednesday, the network will host a town hall with Trump at the same time as the Iowa GOP debate, hosted by CNN, where only DeSantis and Haley will participate.
As of Monday, Trump leads Iowa by over 30 points with 51.3% support. DeSantis clocks in second at 18.6%, according to an average of polls.
