Report: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launching White House bid next week

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Long rumored to be a White House contender in 2024, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will reportedly file the paperwork to launch a presidential bid next week.

The Wall Street Journal reported the news late Wednesday night.

In a poll conducted this week by Atlanta-based Landmark Communications, DeSantis trails former president Donald Trump in Georgia by a 40%-32% margin.

The poll, conducted by Atlanta-based Landmark Communication, shows Georgia Gov. Kemp at 7% should he mount a 2024 White House campaign. The statewide poll was conducted among of 800 likely Georgia Republican primary voters.

In the poll, Kemp’s 7% comes in as more favorable than declared candidate Nikki Haley (5.9%) and big names in the party like former Vice President Mike Pence (2.4%), businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (2%) and even undecided Georgia voters (6.2%).

• New poll shows how Brian Kemp stacks up against other Republicans in 2024

Kemp, however, has urged other Republican donors, party leaders and voters not to “look in the rearview mirror” as the 2024 presidential election nears, a veiled reference to Trump.

Also on Wednesday, the Georgia Republican Party announced Trump will speak at its 2023 convention, set for June 9 at the Columbus Convention & Trade Center, a convention Kemp had already announced he is not attending.

This is the first time Trump has spoken in Georgia since his reelection announcement back in November, after which came an immediate endorsement from U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is also speaking at this year’s convention.

According to the Associated Press, DeSantis on Wednesday signed bills that ban gender affirming care for minors, restrict pronoun use in schools and force people to use the bathroom corresponding with their sex assigned at birth in some cases.

DeSantis also signed new restrictions on drag shows that would allow the state to revoke the food and beverage licenses of businesses that admit children to adult performances. The DeSantis administration has moved to pull the liquor licenses of businesses that held drag shows, alleging children were present during lewd displays.

DeSantis has been an outspoken advocate for such restrictions, and championed a Florida law that restricts the teaching of sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools. Florida has expanded that prohibition, which critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” law, to all grades.

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• Donald Trump leads Ron DeSantis in Georgia poll among likely GOP voters

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