Florida Governor officially files his candidacy, positioning himself as the key challenger to Donald Trump.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially entered the 2024 presidential race, submitting his candidacy to the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday. This move follows the release of a campaign announcement video on Twitter, shared by his wife, Casey, a day earlier.

In his first appearance as a presidential candidate, DeSantis will address voters during a Twitter Space, hosted by David Sacks, a close ally of Elon Musk, before speaking with Fox News anchor Bret Baier in a subsequent interview. The 44-year-old governor, who has served two terms in Florida, is expected to be a prominent figure in the Republican primary, holding a solid position in polling, with double-digit support against former President Donald Trump.

DeSantis enters the race with a strong political background, having won re-election in 2022 by a comfortable margin. While he has consistently polled in the double digits, his numbers still lag behind Trump, who remains the dominant figure in the GOP. Despite this, DeSantis’s candidacy has already been recognised for presenting a serious challenge to the former president, especially as DeSantis is not shy about taking on Trump directly.

In a marked change from his previous strategy of avoiding confrontations with Trump, DeSantis’s campaign is now expected to engage in direct clashes with the former president. This shift in approach follows months of political manoeuvring, including strategic attacks from a DeSantis-aligned PAC aimed at Trump.

Although it remains uncertain whether DeSantis can dethrone Trump as the Republican frontrunner, the Florida governor heads into the race with several advantages, including the support of the GOP establishment, a large voter base dissatisfied with both Trump and Biden, and a formidable political resume. Before his governorship, DeSantis served in the US House of Representatives as a member of the Freedom Caucus and as a military lawyer, with service in Guantanamo Bay and the 2007 Iraq troop surge.

However, his candidacy also faces potential challenges, with critics noting that DeSantis lacks the charismatic appeal that Trump has with his base. DeSantis is also facing criticism for his attempts to position himself as a culture war champion, which some see as an effort to mirror Trump’s polarising style.

Despite these hurdles, DeSantis remains a strong contender in the Republican race. His official candidacy comes just days after his GOP rival, Senator Tim Scott, launched his own campaign. While Scott lags behind DeSantis in polling, he has garnered support from influential figures within the Republican Party, including Senator John Thune.