Rupert Murdoch's New York Post, The Wall Street Journal, and Fox News promoted DeSantis as an alternative to former president Donald Trump following the January 6 Capitol attack.

DeSantis officially announced his campaign in a Twitter Spaces discussion with X Corp. CEO Elon Musk, following the release of his plans to the Associated Press a day earlier.

[18] During the 2016 Senate election in Florida, he ran for the seat held by Marco Rubio, who abstained from running from reelection due to his presidential campaign.

[19] In January 2018, DeSantis filed to run for governor of Florida in the state's gubernatorial election to succeed Republican incumbent Rick Scott.

[22] DeSantis and his running mate, Jeanette Núñez were confirmed the winners, following a statewide recount that led to Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum conceding.

[31] DeSantis signed the Parental Rights in Education Act in March 2022, prohibiting public schools in Florida from discussing or having classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity from kindergarten through third grade and beginning a feud with The Walt Disney Company.

[40] In May, DeSantis spoke to the Republican Party in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, further fueling speculation of a potential bid, as some Democrats began seeking to mount a campaign against him.

[43] State straw polls suggested a strong connection with college-educated voters within the Republican Party and narrow victories against Trump.

DeSantis forged alliances with conservative pundits, hosting political commentator Dave Rubin and Newsmax reporter Benny Johnson to the Governor's Mansion in January 2022.

Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake falsely claimed that Soros had endorsed DeSantis, which she referred to as "the kiss of death".

[52] As speculation continued, Trump mounted attacks against DeSantis, referring to him as "Ron DeSanctimonious" at a rally in Pennsylvania in November 2022, in advance for a presidential campaign.

Despite teasing a potential presidential bid,[61] DeSantis stated that the tour was intended to advocate for his record as the governor of Florida, rather than Trump.

[62] In April, he visited Japan, South Korea, Israel, and the United Kingdom, in a move considered to improve his credentials on foreign policy.

The watchdog group Campaign Legal Center has stated that it will file a complaint with the Federal Election Commission if the funds are transferred.

[88] The conversation was moderated by David Sacks, a confidant of Musk's during his acquisition of Twitter and a Republican donor who praised DeSantis and gave him US$50,000.

[89] Following the meeting, DeSantis appeared on Fox News Tonight and spoke to former Republican congressman Trey Gowdy, joking about the technical issues.

[100] The Daily Mail ran the headline, "Ron's Desaster"—a term that became a trending hashtag on Twitter[101]—while Breitbart News called it a "DeBacle for DeSantis".

[105] The Tampa Bay Times attributed the lack of a response from late-night talk show hosts, such as Stephen Colbert and John Oliver, to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.

[106] On May 30, DeSantis held his first in-person event at Eternity Church in Clive, Iowa, in a decision considered by the Associated Press to strengthen his connection with evangelical Christian voters.

[118] Trump attacked Reynolds and will skip out on a gathering in Des Moines, Iowa, for The Family Leader hosted by politician Bob Vander Plaats, to which DeSantis came to her defense[119] and indirectly told him, "Nobody is entitled to this nomination", on The Howie Carr Show.

Rapid response director Christina Pushaw posted an AI-generated image of DeSantis riding a rhinoceros, referencing the pejorative term Republican in Name Only (RINO).

Campaign press secretary Bryan Griffin stated that DeSantis was instead in Iowa and spoke at the Tennessee Republican Party Statesman's Dinner.

[139] At a fundraising event in Ankeny, Iowa, DeSantis told reporters that he would consider Kim Reynolds as a potential vice president if he wins the Republican nomination.

[142] The campaign's acceptance of the mainstream media is a departure from the isolationist strategy seen in the days following DeSantis's announcement that was once described as a "safe space" by Axios.

[143] DeSantis became the first major candidate to file in South Carolina, but that day his campaign events in Tega Cay and West Columbia were overshadowed by news that Jack Smith was advancing the investigation into the January 6 Capitol attack by naming Trump as a target.

[151] The video creator and its retweeter was revealed to be former National Review writer and campaign speechwriter Nate Hochman, who was subsequently fired.

[162] At a speech in New Hampshire, DeSantis adjusted his approach to appear more personal, offering an anecdote about going to Fenway Park while on the Yale Bulldogs baseball team.

[188] In May 2023, NBC News reported that staff for the DeSantis administration sent text messages soliciting donations from Florida lobbyists, a potentially legally strenuous maneuver.

[189] During a campaign effort in the border city of Eagle Pass, Texas, DeSantis shared a photo op of himself posing in front of a helicopter on Twitter.

[196] Trump's presence in the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries and his core followers, as well as an increasing field, presented challenges for the DeSantis campaign.