DeSantis should be ‘grateful’ — and drop out

Donald Trump’s campaign has called out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in a new TV ad for “attacking” the former Republican president and one-time ally — and suggested the governor should drop out of the race before he even gets in.

“Ron DeSantis was struggling big time in his primary race for governor of Florida,” says the ad’s narrator, referring to the 44-year-old’s first gubernatorial run in 2018.

“Polls revealed DeSantis was failing so bad, he was losing by a staggering 17 points,” the narrator adds. “Then DeSantis was saved by the endorsement of President Trump.

“Trump’s support was so powerful, just two days after the endorsement, DeSantis took a commanding lead and it propelled him to being elected governor.”

The ad includes a clip from DeSantis’ victory speech in November 2018, in which the potential 2024 GOP challenger says, “I’d like to thank our president for standing by me when it wasn’t necessarily the smart thing to do.”

“You’re welcome, Ron,” the narrator resumes. “Unfortunately, instead of being grateful, DeSantis is now attacking the very man who saved his career. Isn’t it time DeSantis remembers how he got to where he is?”

“Truth is, there’s only one person who can Make America Great Again,” the ad continues, showing clips from a past DeSantis commercial showing the now-governor reciting Trump campaign slogans to his kids.

Trump, 76, endorsed DeSantis in December 2017, during his primary race against then-Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam.

“Congressman Ron DeSantis is a brilliant young leader, Yale and then Harvard Law, who would make a GREAT Governor of Florida. He loves our Country and is a true FIGHTER!” Trump said on Twitter at the time.

He then re-upped his “full endorsement” of DeSantis five months later in June 2018. 

Before that, Putnam led at least 13 Republican primary polls, while DeSantis led at least seven of them.

“Congressman Ron DeSantis, a top student at Yale and Harvard Law School, is running for Governor of the Great State of Florida. Ron is strong on Borders, tough on Crime & big on Cutting Taxes – Loves our Military & our Vets. He will be a Great Governor & has my full Endorsement!” the 45th president tweeted on June 22, 2018.

After the June 2018 endorsement, DeSantis led Putnam in 13 subsequent polls — while the agriculture commissioner only had the edge in two.

Trump claimed Putnam later called him to say the DeSantis endorsement had been “like a nuclear bomb went off,” according to the Tampa Bay Times.

“The man he beat, the man who was expected to win easily, called and told me, after the race, he said, ‘You endorsed him, and it was like a nuclear bomb went off. There was nothing I could do.’ He never even spent his money. He saved it,” Trump told reporters of the exchange in February 2020.

The Florida governor is widely expected to announce his presidential campaign after the conclusion of the state’s legislative session May 5 — pitting him against Trump for the Republican Party’s nomination.

A recent polling analysis found President Biden would easily defeat Trump in another national election, but would lose to DeSantis in the Electoral College.

Biden on Tuesday announced he and Vice President Kamala Harris would seek re-election for the Democratic Party in 2024.

DeSantis would join a rapidly growing primary field that includes Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, conservative radio host Larry Elder and businessman Perry Johnson, who lost his 2022 gubernatorial race in Michigan. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) has formed an exploratory committee, but has yet to formally enter the race.