DES MOINES, Iowa — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' campaign announced Friday night that his first stop after Monday's Iowa caucuses will be South Carolina instead of New Hampshire, the next race on the Republican nominating calendar. He frowned.
After holding a watch party with supporters in West Des Moines on Monday night, the 45-year-old flew to Greenville, South Carolina, for an event on Tuesday morning before returning to the Granite State for an evening appearance on CNN. He plans to attend his campaign's town hall. Confirmed.
DeSantis' campaign schedule First reported by the Associated Press.
“This campaign is building for the long term. We'll be competing for every delegate we can get in New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and into March,” said spokesman Andrew Romeo. he told the Post.
DeSantis' campaign has insisted ahead of the Jan. 23 primary that he has no intention of abandoning New Hampshire, but polls show his standing in the state has been declining for months.
As of Friday night, DeSantis' average approval rating in New Hampshire was 6.5%, ahead of former President Donald Trump (43.5%), former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (29.3%) and former New Jersey state governor who declined. It came in fourth place behind Governor Chris Christie (11.0%).
By contrast, last April, Ms. DeSantis' approval rating averaged 29.3% of the RCP average, exactly the same as Ms. Haley's approval rating.
According to RCP, Mr. DeSantis is far behind in South Carolina, where the primary election will be held on February 24th, with an average approval rating of 11%.
Trump had a strong lead with an average approval rating of 52%, but Haley came in second in her home state with 21.8%.
Despite DeSantis' low ranking, the Florida governor's campaign has criticized Haley for her role as Palmetto State administrator for six years before becoming President Trump's ambassador to the United Nations.
Team DeSantis previously boasted that the candidate received 74 endorsements from current and former South Carolina senators, compared to 14 for Haley.
Florida's governor invited two of those supporters as guests to an in-person debate with Haley in Des Moines on Wednesday night.
DeSantis has also stepped up attacks on Haley as she rises in the polls, saying her campaign is controlled by liberal donors and that she is mobilizing the party's grassroots. He claimed that it had nothing to do with the problem.
Mr. DeSantis is relying heavily on a strong showing in Iowa to change the landscape of the Republican race.
“I think being the underdog suits me better,” he told reporters on Tuesday. “Starting with Iowa, we’re going to see a lot of liquidity here.”
“We are ramping up our campaign in both South Carolina and New Hampshire. To share Ron DeSantis’ vision with all of America, we are preparing Donald Trump for a long and arduous campaign. I hope you're ready. Game on,'' Romeo added on Friday.
In 2016, then-candidate Trump bounced back from his defeat in the Iowa caucuses, won overwhelming victories in the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries, and never relinquished his lead in the race for the Republican nomination.
