COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) 鈥 Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is set to make his first public appearance in South Carolina, a state where votes will be critical if he launches an expected 2024 presidential bid.
State Sen. Josh Kimbrell told The Associated Press that he would host DeSantis for an event on April 19 in Spartanburg, in South Carolina's heavily Republican Upstate.
DeSantis' first public visit to South Carolina, home of the leadoff presidential primary in the South, comes amid during which the governor has taken his 鈥淔lorida Blueprint鈥 tour to Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan in recent weeks.
With an anticipated presidential bid in the offing, the travel has opened up an avenue for DeSantis to lay out some of his in Florida, setting up possible contrasts with potential GOP rivals, including former
On Sunday, Kimbrell told the AP that he had been hoping to bring DeSantis to South Carolina for months now, arguing that politically savvy Republicans in the early voting state are accustomed to having multiple chances to get to know presidential candidates, in person.
鈥淚鈥檝e told everybody associated with his team, 鈥橸ou鈥檝e got to get here early and often,'" said Kimbrell, who has already joined efforts with a political action committee urging DeSantis to get into the race. 鈥淚鈥檝e tried to make it clear to them that, if you want to win, you鈥檝e got to get here early.鈥 South Carolina for months has been hosting GOP candidates, including Trump, former South Carolina and former Arkansas There have also been trips from many of those anticipated to join the field, including former Later this week, after a swing through Iowa and New Hampshire, returns home to South Carolina for a as he mulls a bid of his own.
While this would be DeSantis鈥 first public South Carolina event, he was in the state last year for a gubernatorial fundraiser. The event near Charleston was attended by some of Trump鈥檚 top donors in the state.
To Kimbrell, who said he agrees with Trump on policy but not 鈥渙n the way he approached things personally,鈥 DeSantis is well-positioned to be a better alternative to Trump, but needs to start spending more time in South Carolina.
鈥淚 believe that Ron DeSantis is as popular among my base as Trump is,鈥 Kimbrell said, of his heavily GOP district. 鈥淏ut you can鈥檛 just mail it in. He's going to have to press the flesh, roll his sleeves up, and get really serious.鈥
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