After weeks of Ron DeSantis taking his shadow presidential campaign across the country to tout his extreme MAGA “Florida blueprint,” South Carolina has finally made it onto the itinerary. A new report from the Associated Press shows it took “months” of begging from the South Carolina GOP to convince him to come to the Palmetto State and “get really serious” about his campaign here.
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Associated Press: DeSantis to make 1st public appearance in South Carolina
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to make his first public appearance in South Carolina, a state where votes will be critical if he launches an expected 2024 presidential bid.
- On Sunday, SC State Senator Josh Kimbrell told the AP that he had been hoping to bring DeSantis to South Carolina for months now, arguing that politically savvy Republicans in the early voting state are accustomed to having multiple chances to get to know presidential candidates, in person.
- “I’ve told everybody associated with his team, ’You’ve got to get here early and often,’” said Kimbrell, who has already joined efforts with a political action committee urging DeSantis to get into the race. “I’ve tried to make it clear to them that, if you want to win, you’ve got to get here early.”
- South Carolina for months has been hosting GOP candidates, including Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. There have also been trips from many of those anticipated to join the field, including former Vice President Mike Pence.
- Later this week, after a swing through Iowa and New Hampshire, Sen. Tim Scott returns home to South Carolina for a summit with donors, as he mulls a bid of his own.
- “But you can’t just mail it in. He’s going to have to press the flesh, roll his sleeves up, and get really serious.”
