Ron DeSantis dismissed falling poll numbers during his trip through Japan, claiming that it doesn’t matter if he dips behind Donald Trump because he isn’t officially in the running.
The Florida governor suggested his Republican primary candidacy status and the poll numbers could change soon, but still didn’t take any steps toward making an announcement.
‘I’m not a candidate, so we’ll see if and when that changes,’ DeSantis told reporters in Tokyo, Japan while standing alongside his wife and Florida’s first lady Casey DeSantis.
The comments come following the release of NBC News’ first national 2024 primary poll on Sunday that showed former President Trump ahead of DeSantis by 15 percent.
It also comes as reports revealed that President Joe Biden is expected to announce his reelection campaign on Tuesday.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, standing alongside wife and Florida first lady Casey DeSantis in Japan on Monday, told reporters he ‘not a candidate’ for president and is therefore unbothered by falling behind Donald Trump in recent polls. ‘We’ll see if and when that changes,’ he added
DeSantis’ foreign travels this week are fueling buzz that he plans to run for president in 2024. Pictured: DeSantis meets with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi in Tokyo on Monday, April 24
Ron DeSantis introduces his wife Case to Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the official residence in Tokyo on Monday
Despite the governor’s continued brush off of questions surrounding a potential candidacy, DeSantis continues to traverse the country under the guise of a book tour – and has now taken his travels international.
After Japan, the Florida first couple and their children will go to South Korea, Israel and the United Kingdom.
During the Japan visit, Casey donned a white pants suit with floral pattern on the jacket, while the governor wore the classic navy blue suit with a red tie.
Ron and Casey DeSantis met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi. The foreign travels and high-profile meetings are only further fueling buzz that DeSantis will announce a White House bid soon.
In recent months, DeSantis was inching closer to Trump in the polls, even beating him in a few local, regional and national surveys. But the recent indictment against Trump in the Stormy Daniels hush-money payment case has boosted his stance with Republicans.
Seventy percent of GOP respondents told NBC’s polling that they feel it’s more important now to rally around Trump’s 2024 bid following the charges.
The poll shows Trump with 46 percent support from Republican primary voters compared to DeSantis’ 31 percent. The Florida governor has not yet announced a White House bid but is largely seen as the only potential candidate that could give Trump a good fight.
DeSantis has consistently come in second place to Trump.
The double-digit primary election lead was coupled with poll results showing that only 6 percent of Americans want to see a rematch of 2020 between Trump and President Joe Biden.
The president is reportedly prepared to soft-launch his 2024 reelection campaign on Tuesday.
Some of Trump’s 2024 rivals have suggested that the arraignment of Trump earlier this month was a way for Democrats to ensure his candidacy in 2024 because they believe that he will lose a general election against Biden.
The Florida first couple are escorted to their seats for a meeting with Japan’s foreign minister at the Iikura Guest House in Tokyo on Monday
A new national poll shows Donald Trump double-digits ahead of Ron DeSantis in a hypothetical 2024 primary run
NBC News’ first national poll for the 2024 presidential primary shows Trump ahead with 46% of the vote, compared to second place DeSantis with 31%
No other candidates, announced or otherwise, were able to earn double-digit support among the just 292 Republican voters polled.
Former Vice President Mike Pence came in third with just 6 percent of the vote.
Meanwhile, Nikki Haley, former South Carolina Gov. and once Trump’s Ambassador to the United Nations, tied for fourth with Sen. Tim Scott, who has not announced, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who has announced. All of the three politicians earned 3 percent support.
Longshot candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a multi-millionaire who earned his fortune in the biotech and asset management field, came in last with 2 percent.
Despite the polling lead over DeSantis, it is obvious that attack lines against the governor are not a winning strategy for the former president.
While Trump has made mocking his opponent’s and political rivals a signature of his campaign style, his jokes about DeSantis landed flat with attendees at a local GOP dinner Friday in Lee County.
Usually, when Trump keeps his attacks to Democrats or less popular Republicans, he gets big laughs and claps – but Florida Republicans aren’t having it when the butt of the joke is their beloved governor.
‘In Florida, I got 1.2 million more votes than your successful governor’s campaign,’ Trump said during the Lincoln Reagan dinner on Friday. ‘You know that. We got 1.2 million.’
The same poll shows that just a measly 6% of Americans want to see a rematch between Trump and Joe Biden in 2024
He then employed his voice mocking DeSantis and playing out the governor asking him for help during the 2018 gubernatorial race in the Sunshine State. ”Sir I’d love to have your support, sir. I’d love to have your support. I’m down at about three. I’d love to have your support.’
Trump dropped the performance and said: ‘Then there was like, a rocket ship after I gave it. Otherwise, right now, you’d have a lawyer someplace looking for business.’
Following Trump’s attack on DeSantis, there were a few awkward chuckles in the otherwise still room, which prompted him to add: ‘If that.’
DeSantis hasn’t announced a bid yet, but is taking all the traditional steps toward a run – including traversing the country to key states for a presidential candidate.
Of those polled, 70 percent do not think Biden should run for reelection, while 60 percent say Trump should not be making a third bid for the White House.
The Washington Post reported that when Biden returned from his trip to Ireland, he met a videographer in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware to record a campaign launch video, which is planned to be released this week.