(WatchDogReport.org) – Former President and presidential candidate Donald Trump said on January 21 that he’s “officially” retiring the Ron “DeSanctimonious” nickname after GOP Florida Governor Ron DeSantis suspended his 2024 presidential race. The former commander-in-chief made the declaration on DeSantis’ nickname’s status during one of his campaign stops, which prompted cheers from many of the attendees.
DeSantis’ famous nickname emerged back in 2022 after the midterm elections, when the Republican governor became what many described at the time as one of the most serious contenders for the 2024 GOP nomination. Some political analysts even noted that DeSantis had a serious chance of beating Trump.
Since the Florida Governor announced his presidential campaign, the former commander-in-chief routinely used the nickname as a way of mocking him. Trump did it until the day that the governor officially dropped from the presidential race and announced he was endorsing Trump. At that moment, DeSantis said he was willing to make his biggest effort to win the nomination, but pointed out he couldn’t ask his supporters to volunteer and make donations if he and his campaign didn’t have a “clear path to victory.”
DeSantis also noted it was clear that the vast majority of Republican voters were going to vote for the former president, and said he respected their decision.” He pointed out that while he had many disagreements with Trump, such as on the pandemic and his “elevation” of former Chief Medical Advisor to the President of United States Anthony Fauci, he was “superior” to President Joe Biden.
The Florida governor explained that he’d maintain his pledge to support the Republican nominee, which he suggested would be Trump. He also noted he will formally endorse the former president because the GOP can’t go back to the previous “Republican guard,” which he described as a group of politicians who caved to “woke ideology” and kneeled to “large corporations.” DeSantis said that the candidate who represents that old guard is former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
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