DeSantis ends the campaign, gives way, supports Trump in the presidential race

Republican candidate for president Ron DeSantis, who was once considered a person with the best chance of defeating former President Donald Trump, ended the campaign Sunday, a relatively early withdrawal that highlighted the former president's strong position within the party.

Mr. DeSantis made the announcement on a video on the X platform, which he also said would support Mr. Trump. He made the announcement two days before the preliminary elections in New Hamsher, where, according to polls, he had a small percentage of support.

The 45-year-old Republican was widely seen as a leading contender for the appointment of the Republican Party for the 2024 elections and the natural successor of Mr. Trump, thanks to his combative style and deeply conservative views.

Early in 2023, he led in several polls against former President Trump. But support to the mayor of Florida has fallen for several months, due to a wrong strategy during the campaign, unable to establish a connection with voters and steadfast support of the Republican base to Mr. Trump.

The break-up of the campaign by Mr. DeSantis means that the former US ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, is now the last republic in a race that has a chance, although not very realistic, to deny former President Trump appointment to Republican.

The winner of the race for appointment of the republic will face President Joe Biden, the potential Democrat candidate, in the general elections in November.

More than 70% of the republics support Mr. Trump, according to most of the polls.

Mr. Desantis never managed to convince most of Mr. Trump's supporters why he was a better option, while Republicans who did not support the former president split votes among many other candidates.

Mrs. Haley, in particular, has appeared as the preferred candidate among the moderate Republicans. / VOA