Who is Ron DeSantis? All you need to know about Republican leader who joined White House race

The Republican queue for securing a presidential nomination is getting congested with each passing day. While former president Donald Trump is currently leading the pack, many consider Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as the dark horse who can take the fight to him and perhaps, stage an upset, if the stars align themselves perfectly.

DeSantis launched his 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday, vowing to lead Americans into a new era of success and fight for their freedoms.Within the GOP, despite Trump's larger-than-life image, DeSantis remains the best hope for anti-Trump forces.

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DeSantis’ rising profile among Republicans and fundraising skills makehim one of the biggest threats to Trump who appears to be rattled by his presence.

Both DeSantis and Trump have been at each other's throats ever since it was insinuated that they may have to share the gladiatorial stage.

Trump has attacked the Florida governor by calling him 'meatball Ron', 'Ron DeSanctimonious' whilst implying that DeSantis may be hit with sexual assault allegations from both men and women.

"I think if he runs, he could hurt himself very badly. I think the base would not like it - I don't think it would be good for the party," said Trump, when quizzed about DeSantis' nomination.

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But who is DeSantis?

After graduatingfrom Yale University, DeSantis attended Harvard Law School. He graduatedJuris Doctor cum laude in 2005. DeSantis joined the US Navy in 2004 and worked as a legal adviser to SEAL Team One. He did a stint in Iraq in 2007 before being appointed Special Assistant US attorney by the Department of Justice eight months later.

He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and has since steadily risen among the ranks. At one time, he was one of Trump's ardent followers, having been one of the founding leaders of the Freedom Caucus. However, with a presidential nomination on the line, both have turned into arch-enemies of sorts.

Task remains uphill for DeSantis

The task, though, is not straightforward for DeSantis. Reuters/Ipsos pollconducted this month showed Trump was backed by 49 per cent of Republicans and DeSantis 19 per cent.

Any previous candidate attempting to secure a presidential nomination has not lost from this position — meaning Trump has the upper hand. To change the tide, DeSantis not only has to convince anti-Trump GOP lawmakers but also Trump supporters as well as maybe-Trumpers.

Trump's aura may not be as strong as in 2016

Despite the flair and charm that Trump exhibits, he has two consecutive failed election campaigns on his resume. He lost the 2020 presidential elections and later cried wolf that the election was stolen from him. Two years later, Trump claimed there was a red wave across the country, only for Republicans to lose the Senate to the Democrats in the midterms.

Poll analysts are of the view that Trump does not have a particular agenda going into the race. He is sitting on his past laurels and attempting to change the mind of voters who did not stay with him in 2020 by using his tried-and-tested tactics of excessive noise. Comparatively, DeSantis is regarded as an astute politician who has done the hard yards and knows how to grind out results.

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DeSantis' popularity can be gauged by the fact that in an election where Trump's magic was a far cry, he won the Florida seat by a whopping margin of 1.5 million votes - the largest in the state in more than four decades.

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch has also thrown his weight behind him, saying that he would prefer to cast aside Trump in favour of DeSantis as the Republican party leader.

Then there is the age issue that plays into DeSantis' hands. Trump will be 78 heading into the 2024 election and for all the stick current US President Joe Biden has got for his old age, not many would be willing to let Trump go easily either. DeSantis is young, and as many in political circles say, absolutely meticulous when it comes to seeing a policy to the end.

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DeSantis, the politician

The dispute between DeSantis and Disney after the latter criticised the state's Parental Rights in Education Act, colloquially known as the "Don't Say Gay" bill,has been one of the biggest launch pads for the Florida governor in the lead-up to the election.

Taking on a 'woke' Disney has become one of the major poll planks for DeSantis. The Disney controversy has earned him points in the conservative circles and he is now doubling down on the issue to go for the jugular. However, Disney cancelling the $1billion investment in Florida may have thrown a monkey wrench in DeSantis' plans.

In order to bring his campaign back on track, election experts believe that DeSantis will have to either win in Iowa or New Hampshire. Though a win may not be enough to win a nomination, it is necessary to take the fight to the last day of primaries.

The likes of Barack Obama and John McCain, who polled in the low 20s in the nomination race, managed to make a comeback after winning Iowa and New Hampshire respectively, back in the day.

Many within the GOP, in hushed voices, say they are not confident that Trump is the right person to usher in the new Republican era. There is a clear consensus that DeSantis will be a far better and more effective branch leader. The result, however, will depend on how aggressive DeSantis plays after announcing the nomination because Trump will not be taking any prisoners.

(With inputs from agencies)

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