DeSantis says only he can beat Biden in upcoming elections

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Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida, allegedly informed senior fundraisers that only he, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden are "credible" contenders for president in 2024, and that he is the only Republican who can defeat Joe Biden. 

"You have basically three people at this point that are credible in this whole thing," DeSantis stated on a fundraising call on Thursday, according to the New York Times, who added that a reporter was listening.

Read more: Poll shows Trump would beat DeSantis in GOP primaries

"Biden, Trump, and me. And I think of those three, two have a chance to get elected president – Biden and me, based on all the data in the swing states, which is not great for the former president and probably insurmountable because people aren’t going to change their view of him,” the governor said.

DeSantis has long been anticipated to run, but according to reports, he will make it official on Wednesday.

DeSantis' plan to file formal paperwork with the US Federal Election Commission announcing his campaign, which would coincide with the donor conference in Miami on May 25, puts him in direct rivalry with another Republican presidential contender, former US President Donald Trump.

According to Bloomberg and the Miami Herald, a donor meeting is slated for the same day in Miami, with a rally following in DeSantis' hometown of Dunedin between May 30 and June 1.

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Trump is facing unprecedented legal challenges, ranging from criminal and civil charges stemming from his treatment of women to investigations into his financial dealings, retention of confidential data, and effort to reverse the 2020 election, culminating in the January 6 attack on Congress.

DeSantis secured a wide base of endorsements from Iowa lawmakers on Saturday after completing a visit in the early-voting state. 

The Florida Governor's audacious remarks on Thursday mirrored his tremendous fundraising abilities. Super Pac Never Back Down, which organized the call, and Empower Parents (formerly Friends of Ron DeSantis) have collected substantial funds.

DeSantis' appeal to voters is one of a champion of culture-war attacks on progressive ideals, including limits on the teaching of LGBTQ+ topics and a six-week abortion ban, one of the most stringent in any state.

Disney, one of Florida's largest employers, backed out of a $1 billion office building in Orlando on Thursday. DeSantis is battling the entertainment industry over its resistance to his "Don't say gay" public education bill, which has lost him some donor support.

Progressives, Democrats, and many analysts believe DeSantis went too far to the right to win a general election.

According to The Times, DeSantis stated on the Thursday conversation that many Republicans believed "we've got to win this time," a veiled shot at Trump's failure in 2020 and poor outcomes in midterm elections on either side of that battle.

In addition, he stated, "The corporate media wants Trump to be the nominee."

DeSantis added, “I think the voters want to move on from Biden. They just want a vehicle they can get behind [but] there’s just too many voters that don’t view Trump as that vehicle.”