Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is poised to jump into the presidential fray as soon as mid-May, four GOP operatives familiar with the conversations told NBC News on Wednesday.
One of the sources told the network that the announcement would be on the formation of an exploratory committee, with the official launch coming soon after.
Some of his backers are urging DeSantis to declare as early as May 11, in an effort to counter the narrative that former President Donald Trump is the overwhelming frontrunner for the 2024 GOP nomination. Others in the governor’s orbit, however, have argued that that date would be too soon, according to two of those sources. All emphasized, however, that mid-May is the target.
DeSantis has been actively preparing for a campaign and has long been viewed as Trump’s strongest Republican challenger in 2024.
As of February, DeSantis was up on Trump by as many as 24 points in a hypothetical Republican primary matchup, but Trump has since gained traction. A poll released last Friday found that 55 percent of respondents who identified as Republicans said they would back Trump in the 2024 GOP presidential primary.
Trump, who has confirmed his intentions to seek the 2024 Republican nomination, has warned DeSantis against running for president in 2024, saying, “I think he would be making a mistake. I think the base would not like it. I don’t think it would be good for the party.”