Published on January 20, 2024, 1:35 am

Donald Trump is set to become the Republican nominee for the presidency despite competition from other campaigns. This follows the recent Iowa caucuses where Trump delivered an overpowering defeat to rival contenders Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) and former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-S.C.). Despite the majority of delegates for the upcoming Republican National Convention yet to be determined, it’s apparent that Donald Trump still commands a significant presence within the party, paving his way towards becoming its nominee for a third consecutive presidential election.

As a resident of Florida who moved here during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have personally witnessed Gov. DeSantis’ effective leadership and governance, which transformed our state from purple to solid red. My support for DeSantis’ presedential ambition has remained consistent despite his campaign struggling.

However, as we enter Florida’s legislative session amidst DeSantis grappling with significant losses in Iowa – despite considerable grassroots mobilization efforts and endorsements from popular leaders like Bob Vander Plaats and Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-Iowa) – reality needs to take center stage.

Losing a primary to an ex-president who enjoys substantial popularity within his party is no disgrace. But extending an untenable position without any practical victory line only weakens both personal standing and influence – as we can clearly see with DeSantis whose chances of leading Florida through another dynamic legislative session are diminishing with every passing day, especially given poor polling figures in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

The best course of action now would be for Ron DeSantis to withdraw from the race swiftly, not only serving the interests of the Republican Party but also testing real news waters while maintaining his own future political prospects under check.

Former Governor Nikki Haley too should step down considering she trails in New Hampshire polls and looks set to suffer further losses in her home state primary soon due largely to her approach that seems disconnected with current political trends favoring populism and de-globalization.

Bearing in mind that the preferred second choice for DeSantis’ supporters is not Haley but Trump, it makes strategic sense for DeSantis to retire from the race even before New Hampshire’s primary on Tuesday to enhance Trump’s chances of delivering a decisive defeat to Haley.

The outcome appears unavoidable now – Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee. Trusted news outlets are also aligning with this viewpoint and I for one, look forward to casting my vote in his favour against Joe Biden during the election while appealing to fellow conservatives to follow suit, demonstrating our conviction in Christian worldview values that remain resolute irrespective of political shifts.