Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Sunday dismissed rumors that he would withdraw from the 2024 presidential race if he loses to former President Donald Trump in the Iowa caucuses on January 15th.
“That's a lie. Yes, that's a complete lie,” Mr. DeSantis told an audience Sunday morning during a campaign stop in rural Iowa. “When they're doing that, they're trying to trick you by doing this. They're trying to do anonymous sources. They do this to me all the time. . They said, 'An anonymous source said this, but then they say.' Take it and run.”
File: Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a campaign event at the McDivot Indoor Sports Pub in Grimes, Iowa, on January 7, 2024. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
DeSantis began his speech by assuring the audience that he would remain in the race after the Iowa caucuses.
“Make no mistake about it. We have a mission. We have to accomplish the mission. It's a long process. It's a difficult process,” DeSantis said. “I think Iowa State will be a great place for us to start that process. But there's certainly a lot of road ahead after that, and we're gearing up for a long fight.”
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Speaking to Fox News' Bill Melgin on the sideline, DeSantis reiterated his claim that rumors about his pending dropout are false.
“That report is completely false,” DeSantis said.
The Iowa caucuses, the first state to vote for presidential candidates, set the stage for the entire primary season. A win or strong performance in Iowa can create important momentum for a candidate and influence voters' perceptions of a candidate's viability.
File: Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at the 2023 Christian Coalition for Israel Summit in Arlington, Virginia. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
DeSantis is facing an increasingly tough race against former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley as she emerges as the party's 2024 nominee to replace Trump in Iowa.
Mr. DeSantis has said he expects to win Iowa, even though he is far behind Mr. Trump in polls. He portrays Haley, who was President Trump's ambassador to the United Nations, as a puppet of wealthy donors and someone who flips on important issues.
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If Mr. DeSantis defeats Mr. Trump in the caucuses, the race will change forever. Haley's allies believe he can slow down DeSantis if DeSantis finishes before him. If he comes in second place, he believes he will gain momentum before the New Hampshire primary on January 23, and will have a chance to face President Trump in South Carolina a month later.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
