DeSantis rejects 2028 bid rumors, calls Washington Post report a fabrication
The Florida governor denied contacting consultants for a presidential run amid reports that he is preparing to challenge for the nomination again.
By Ayanda Boateng ·
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis disputed a Washington Post report on Friday, stating that he has not contacted anyone about running for president in 2028. The newspaper claimed earlier that day, citing three people briefed on his plans, that the governor had already reached out to at least one national political consultant to discuss a prospective campaign. DeSantis rejected the premise of the story in a post on X, asserting that the outlet was inventing details to drive traffic.
"The Washington Post is fabricating this out of whole cloth," DeSantis wrote. "I have not reached out to anybody about running for anything." He characterized the report as a "pathetic attempt to garner clicks" that relied on anonymous sources. The Post also noted that a federal super PAC affiliated with DeSantis sent a fundraising text message to supporters earlier in the week, a detail the governor did not directly address in his initial response.
The governor expanded on his rebuttal in replies to users on social media. When one person expressed hope that the reporting was accurate, DeSantis replied that he was "sorry to disappoint." He acknowledged that political consultants might be using his name to attract attention, adding, "Probably the case. But maybe just made up by WaPo."
The dispute arose in the days following midterm elections that resulted in substantial losses for the Republican Party. Republicans lost control of both chambers of Congress and several traditionally Republican strongholds. Florida remained a rare exception, as Republican Byron Donalds won the state's governor's race. DeSantis described the national results as close to an "extinction-level event" for his party on Wednesday. He noted that among the ten most populous states, Florida would likely be the only one with Republican control of its government.
DeSantis previously sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. He suspended his campaign in January 2024 after the Iowa caucuses and subsequently endorsed Donald Trump. The governor is term-limited and will leave office in January. He has previously left open the possibility of another presidential bid. Fox News Digital reached out to DeSantis' office and the Washington Post for comment on the conflicting accounts.
The next scheduled event related to this political transition is DeSantis' departure from the governor's office in January. No further public appearances or statements regarding a 2028 campaign were announced by his office as of Friday.
