Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis is reportedly bowing out of this year’s annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) event in March as his Republican Presidential primary poll numbers drop in the wake of criticisms levied by 45th President Donald Trump.
According to a report by The Floridian, the Florida Governor is shying away from the event due to a “scheduling conflict.”
However, there is some speculation that DeSantis’ apparent decision to not attend CPAC may be because he does “not want to add any more hype to the presumed and expected 2024 Republican presidential primary cage match” between himself and the former president, The Floridian notes.
The outlet added that a DeSantis appearance at CPAC this year may “look as though he is chasing the spotlight. More importantly, it could look as though he is chasing Donald Trump.”
President Trump is slated to speak at CPAC in March, along with appearances by Floridian Reps. Byron Donalds, Kat Cammack, Greg Steube, Matt Gaetz, Senator Rick Scott, and Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
Former South Carolina Governor and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley will also attend the conservative conference on the heels of her own 2024 presidential campaign announcement.
DeSantis’ reported decision comes as his poll numbers wane with respects to him becoming the Republican nominee for President in the 2024 primary.
According to the latest Harvard CAPS/Harris Poll released by The Hill on Friday, support for DeSantis dropped 5 percentage points, leaving the Florida Governor with only 23 percent support compared to President Trump’s 46 percent.
In a head-to-head matchup against the former president among Republican voters, DeSantis was found trailing by a staggering 12 points after the former president took to his own social media platform accusing the Florida Governor of being a “RINO in disguise!”
“Ron DeSanctimonious wants to cut your Social Security and Medicare, closed up Florida & its beaches, loves RINOS Paul Ryan, Jeb Bush, and Karl Rove (disasters ALL!), is backed by Globalist’s Club for NO Growth, Lincoln Pervert Project, & ‘Uninspired’ Koch — And it only gets worse from there. He is a RINO in disguise!, whose Poll numbers are dropping like a rock. Good luck Ron!” President Trump said.
Reacting to the latest poll which showed himself having a clear lead over DeSantis, President Trump reaffirmed his criticisms and likened the Republican governor to former House Speaker Paul Ryan, former Bush administration advisor Karl Rove, failed Republican 2016 Presidential candidate Jeb Bush, and the Koch brothers.
“’Support for DeSantis cools in latest GOP POLL.’ Washington Times. Of course it cools,” President Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Sunday.
“He wants to cut Social Security and Medicare, loves ‘Throw them over the cliff’ Paul Ryan, who is destroying FoxNews and the WSJ, Piglet Karl Rove, and ‘Jeb.’ Also, Ron DeSanctimonious is for Globalist Club For NO Growth, and Open Borders Charles Koch. We want AMERICA FIRST, NOT AMERICA LAST!!!” President Trump added.
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This news and commentary by Andrew White originally appeared on Valiant News.
