[The White House. Credit to Pxhere]

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential campaign, instead deciding to endorse Donald Trump.

This decision left Nikki Haley as the last major candidate to challenge Trump ahead of the New Hampshire primary.

DeSantis had entered the election with an edge over Trump, backed by ample financial support and remarkable legislative records.

While early polls in 2023 suggested that DeSantis would surpass Trump, it became evident that he was no match for the former president.

Trump, acknowledging DeSantis as his primary competitor, went after him aggressively, and DeSantis was ultimately unable to find a response.

Trump did not refrain from mocking and insulting DeSantis, even nicknaming him as “Ron DeSanctimonious” and deriding his personality, diet, or height.

However, DeSantis seemed hesitant and cautious when talking about Trump, stating that these insults didn’t mean much to him and were only reminders of “why there are so many millions of voters who will never vote for him going forward.”

DeSantis failed to find a central message that resonated with voters, and his lack of charisma contributed to a 30 percentage point defeat in Iowa against Trump.

His campaign started uncomfortably, with technical issues when announcing his presidential bid on X.

Financial troubles arose, leading DeSantis to fire 40% of the newly hired staff within the first two months of his campaign.

His lack of charisma and awkwardness resulted in him being unable to form strong connections with voters.

DeSantis’s debate with Gavin Newsom showcased his weaknesses, as his uncomfortable personality and lack of humor or warmth were on display for everyone to see.

NBC6 political analyst Mike Hernandez stated, “The perception throughout the Republican primary has been that Governor DeSantis is a little stiff, a little robotic and didn’t connect very well with voters.”

Despite placing second to Haley in Iowa, he failed to close the gaps between him and Trump, resulting in his inevitable exit from the race.

In the video he uploaded on X, DeSantis stated, “We don’t have a clear path to victory,” ending his 7-month campaign.

The Florida governor was dubbed as “Trump without drama,” but he was ultimately no match for Trump’s popularity and presence in the Republican party.

There were mixed reactions to DeSantis’s decision to drop out of the presidential race, but many viewed this campaign as a positive experience for him.

Trump expressed his approval of DeSantis joining his crew, describing him as a terrific person.

DeSantis also acknowledged his disagreements with Trump but admitted that Trump was the far more favorable candidate compared to Haley and expressed his support for him.

Haley is now the lone challenger against Trump, but her chances of being elected looks slim.

Her performance in Iowa left much to be desired, with even DeSantis gaining more votes than her.

Following attacks from both DeSantis and Trump, Haley responded by stating it was now herself against Trump and voiced her confidence.

While DeSantis’ campaign was essentially quite underwhelming and weak, he is still only 45 and is viewed as the Republican party’s upcoming primary candidate for the future.