News of DeSantis’ visit comes amid growing speculation that he could run against former President Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential election.
Austin, Texas — ron desantisFlorida’s governor and potential 2024 presidential candidate will visit Texas in March to help raise money for county Republicans.
DeSantis will star at the Lincoln Reagan Dinner at the Harris County Republican Party on March 3 and then host another party dinner in Dallas County the following day, according to two people familiar with the matter, who were speaking ahead of the announcement. Not authorized to speak publicly. On Wednesday morning, the county party confirmed DeSantis’ appearance.
“Thanks to the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida joins Texas as one of the most prosperous and free states in the nation,” Harris County Republican Chairman, Cindy Seal, said in a statement. “His decisive action and bold policy agenda have resulted in historic achievement for the Republican Party and the people of Florida. We are delighted to host Governor DeSantis at this year’s Lincoln Reagan Dinner because he shares his legacy with Harris County blueprint for freedom!”
News of DeSantis’ visit comes as speculation continues that he may run against former President Donald Trump, who has already entered the race, in the 2024 presidential election.Funds raised at the dinner will benefit the county party, though the events give DeSantis access to Republican activists and Donors in Houston and Dallas, home to some of the party’s most prolific donors nationwide.
Individual tickets start at $500 for the Reagan Day Dinner in Dallas and $250 for the Houston event.
Texas’ own governor, Greg Abbott, is also considered a possible contender for 2024. While he’s open to the possibility of running, his aides say he won’t be thinking beyond the current legislative session, which ends in late May.US Senator Ted CrewsHe, who ran for the White House in 2016, has also been discussed as a potential candidate in 2024, though he has said in recent weeks that he is running for re-election in the Senate.
While Trump has announced a comeback, many prominent Texas Republicans have not rushed to support him, and some are still waiting to see what DeSantis will do. In some conservative circles in the state, DeSantis has surpassed Trump as the most exciting leader of the Republican Party.
In fact, the date of the Dallas County Republican dinner was teased as “America’s Favorite Guest.”
A December survey of likely primary voters in Texas by conservative pollster CWS Research found DeSantis trailing Trump by just 1 percentage point in the hypothetical nomination race.
Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick, who has twice hosted Trump’s Texas campaign, endorsed him for the 2024 term earlier this month. Patrick said last week that he didn’t know DeSantis personally but that he was “doing a really good job” as Florida’s governor.
This story comes from our KHOU 11 News partner texas tribunea nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs and engages with Texans on public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.
