Ron DeSantis Officially Launches White House Bid

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially announced his presidential campaign for the 2024 election. The 44-year-old Republican aspirant made his official announcement via Twitter Spaces alongside outgoing Twitter CEO Elon Musk and tech entrepreneur David Sacks.

The Twitter Spaces livestream posted by Musk crashed after it garnered over 600,000 listeners. DeSantis's online campaign launch only began when Sacks initiated the livestream from his account.

"Great American Comeback"

"We're reallocating some of the server capability to be able to handle the load here. It's really going crazy," Musk said before shutting down his event. DeSantis released a short video about his candidacy days before the official announcement.

"We need the courage to lead and the strength to win," he said in the video. "I'm running for president to lead our great American comeback."

The Florida governor was considered a rival of former US president Donald Trump to the GOP ticket to the White House due to their similar stances on immigration, education, and opposition to "woke" ideology.

Despite his lack of popularity within his party, he generated significant interest among primary voters as a younger and more electable version of Trump.

Announcement Highlights

In Sacks' Twitter Spaces event, where the announcement was officially made without glitches, DeSantis focused his initial speech on his achievements as governor of Florida and how he could apply them across the country.

One example he pointed out was his decision to keep the schools in his state open when all others closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also criticized incumbent US President Joe Biden for pursuing "inflationary policies" that hurt working people.

"We will reverse those policies, and we will build an economy where working American can achieve a good standard of living," he said. "Our border is a disaster. Crime infests our cities. The federal government makes it harder for families to make ends meet. And the president flounders."

DeSantis's other statements include his claim that blacks living in Florida thrive properly and not due to ideological means. He also accuses legacy media, such as television and radio, of "living on their bubble."

He also commended Musk for acquiring Twitter and making it a platform where there could be real free speech while at the same time challenging the billionaire to make the platform better.