TAMPA, Fla. — While not speaking the words, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has edged closer to a formal announcement of running for president in 2024 over the past 48 hours.
Over the weekend, during a trip to the early primary state of Iowa, a bus outside an event read, “Join Team DeSantis - for President”.
Hours later, DeSantis' press secretary Brian Griffin resigned. His letter said, in part, was to help, “Deliver the governor’s success to our country.”
Also 290 miles away from the governor’s Sarasota press conference in Tallahassee – there was a major development.
DeSantis’ political operation was reportedly in the process of moving its headquarters to a new location.
That move starts the clock on a 15-day window under federal election laws obligating DeSantis to register as a candidate.
Asked about it directly, DeSantis only gave an indirect answer about having disbanded the political operation when he first became governor.
“There’s a variety of things that go into that,” he said, “And, you know, all I will say is I promised we would deliver big, we have.”
The development is considered a significant one, coinciding with what many have speculated will be a presidential candidacy announcement from DeSantis this month.