Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has indicated privately that he intends to run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, The Washington Post reported.
The Post cited two people familiar with DeSantis' comments as sources for the news.
The sources said DeSantis, in recent conversations, has described his presidential plans without any warnings that he's still deciding.
Publicly, DeSantis has not said whether he plans to run. Allies do not expect him to announce until after the Florida state legislative session ends in May, the Post said.
Polls have shown DeSantis to be trailing former President Donald Trump in a hypothetical 2024 GOP primary but well ahead of other potential candidates.
DeSantis will visit Davenport, Iowa, on Friday and Las Vegas on Saturday as he promotes his "The Courage to Be Free: Florida's Blueprint for America's Revival.”
Many of the governor's recent events, as in Iowa and Nevada, are hosted by a nonprofit formed earlier this year called And to the Republic. The group is headed by longtime Michigan Republican operative Tori Sachs.
Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds will join DeSantis on Friday, the Post said. She recently appeared with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who kicked off her 2024 presidential campaign, and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who's said to be considering a presidential run.
A super PAC, Never Back Down, which launched Thursday, is seeking to draft DeSantis. It likely will serve as an approved outside spending vehicle for the governor's campaign, three Post sources said.
Never Back Down is led by Ken Cuccinelli, who served as acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Trump administration, and Chris Jankowski, former official at the Republican State Leadership Committee.
Super PACs can receive unlimited contributions from individuals and corporations but are prohibited from coordinating their expenditures with campaigns. However, candidates or campaigns often signal to donors where to direct their checks.
"Today I'm launching Never Back Down PAC @Nvrbackdown24 to encourage @GovRonDeSantis to run for President in 2024," Cuccinelli tweeted.
"The energy is real. Grassroots conservatives see that Governor DeSantis is a proven leader who can win in 2024. #NeverBackDown"
The Post said Thursday that approval of Cuccinelli's group is not a forgone conclusion, but the newspaper's sources said it is the likeliest vehicle for contributions from pro-DeSantis megadonors.
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