Indeed, as DeSantis moves toward a White House run, it is becoming increasingly clear that the 44-year-old Republican governor will manage his presidential aspirations in his own way, on his own timeline, with or without allies in national GOP leadership or relationships with the press. And he is often at odds with the press, refusing even to notify local media of last week’s rare three-state tour with law enforcement. He is the only top-tier presidential prospect yet to court voters in Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina, the states hosting the GOP’s opening presidential primary contests. The apparent CPAC snub is nothing new for DeSantis, who has emerged in the early phase of the 2024 presidential election as a leading contender for the GOP nomination even as he ignores many conventions of modern politics.ĭeSantis is a frequent voice in conservative cultural fights on cable television, but he often avoids gatherings of fellow Republican governors and party leaders, who are quick to complain in private about his go-it-alone approach. Ron DeSantis will be courting donors more than a thousand miles away in Texas and California. But as conservative activists gather in suburban Washington this week, Florida Gov.

NEW YORK-Republican presidential contenders typically fight for prime speaking slots at the Conservative Political Action Conference.

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