In Manchester, New Hampshire, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the suspension of his Republican presidential campaign on Sunday, just before the state’s primary. He then proceeded to endorse Donald Trump, bringing an end to his unsuccessful bid for the White House. Despite initial hopes that he would present a formidable challenge to the former president, DeSantis ultimately fell short of expectations.

In his announcement, DeSantis stated that it is evident that most Republican primary voters are inclined towards giving Donald Trump another opportunity. This statement was made in anticipation of the upcoming first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire, scheduled for Tuesday.

In the primary race, DeSantis criticized Nikki Haley, who was once his main competitor for second place, stating that the Republican party should not revert to the outdated ways of the past. He specifically called out Haley for promoting a recycled version of corporate interests.

In the 2024 presidential race, the governor of a large state, driven by ambition, had a clear advantage in challenging Trump. Initial polls from the primaries indicated that DeSantis was well-positioned to achieve his goal. He and his supporters had gathered a substantial political war chest of over $100 million, and he had a notable track record in passing legislation on conservative topics such as abortion and the inclusion of race and gender topics in education.

The benefits were short-lived when faced with the challenges of the 2024 presidential race. Despite a highly publicized announcement, DeSantis faced difficulties and constant changes within his team and campaign approach, making it difficult for him to establish a strong presence in the primary. Ultimately, he failed to win the Iowa caucuses, which he had been determined to do, losing by a margin of 30 percentage points to Trump.

DeSantis’ political career is now uncertain as he has dropped out of the presidential race after participating in only one election. At the age of 45, he is bound by term limits as the governor of Florida.

It was widely anticipated that DeSantis would pose as a strong opponent to Trump.

During his campaign’s first visit to New Hampshire, he upset several Republican officials by refusing to answer questions from voters, which is a customary practice in the state. Additionally, there were recorded instances of uncomfortable encounters with voters in other states.

In late July, DeSantis made the decision to lay off approximately 40 workers, as reported by the Associated Press. This move aimed to reduce his campaign’s payroll by about one-third. The decision was made after public records showed that he was spending his campaign funds at a rate that was not sustainable.

During debates and in advertisements, DeSantis and Haley frequently engaged in confrontations, often targeting each other more directly than they did Trump.

Despite a strong donor network and potential supporters, DeSantis’ confidence was shaken by the continuous flow of negative events leading up to the primary contests. This caused his polling numbers to remain stagnant, resulting in a shift towards focusing solely on Iowa’s caucuses and abandoning the previous multistate strategy.

DeSantis, having withdrawn from the 2024 race for presidency, is now shifting his focus towards the remaining duration of his second and last term as the governor of Florida, which concludes in January 2027.