With former President Donald Trump already an official candidate for the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary, the state of Florida currently claims one of potentially five candidates. Four other Republicans have yet to declare their intentions yet include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator and former Governor Rick Scott, Senator Marco Rubio, and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
Ron DeSantis:
While DeSantis has yet to publicly remark about any intention to run in 2024, PACs such as Ron to the Rescue PAC have formed, and countless political consultants have asserted that DeSantis is preparing to run.
Marco Rubio:
Once declared by National Review as the future face of the Republican Party, Marco Rubio still touts an impressive national following and won his third term in a landslide against a formidable candidate in Val Demings. Rubio’s 2016 Presidential Campaign was hindered by tough competition from then anti-Trump alternatives, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and former Ohio Governor John Kasich.
Rick Scott:
DeSantis’ predecessor in the governor’s mansion was Rick Scott, who never enjoyed the same level of popularity of DeSantis, yet won as an underdog and went on to a narrow win vs. career politician Bill Nelson, who is now NASA’s administrator. Scott made many fiscally-conservative moves that some argue paved the way for the strong fiscal shape that the state currently enjoys under DeSantis. Scott’s ambition for the White House likely took a major hit though after he failed in his bid to replace Mitch McConnell to lead Republicans in the Senate.
Francis Suarez:
Despite his family’s rich political history in South Florida, Francis Suarez is the least-known candidate among the potential candidates, but he’s given more indication of a 2024 run than Rubio or Scott. Suarez’s recent remarks spurred speculation that he will enter the race. Last week, Suarez returned from a trip to Washington D.C. and remarked how he didn’t see the sun throughout his time in the capital.
Suarez added, “There’s only one job in America that would make you want to stay there long term.” Prior to those comments, Suarez has made comments about the need for newer leaders than Joe Biden and Donald Trump. In 2021, only eight months into Biden’s presidency, Suarez said “the American people would want to see someone that’s a next-generation candidate, whether it’s me or someone else. People are thirsting for that.”