You won’t have Ol’ Pudding Fingers to kick around anymore. “Meatball” Ron DeSantis, the current governor of Florida, has dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination. DeSantis actually came in second in the Iowa caucuses, winning 21% of the vote compared to Donald Trump’s 51% landslide (although the turnout was ghastly). One could have argued that DeSantis was in a better position than Nikki Haley, but I guess DeSantis and his team didn’t think so. Pudding Fingers is shutting down his campaign to spend more time with his lawyers, as Disney is still in the middle of ripping him a new one.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday ended his once-promising presidential campaign, which steadily deflated as he struggled to connect with voters and persuade Republicans to swap Donald Trump for a younger, more disciplined champion of his ideas.
As he departed the contest, DeSantis endorsed Trump, who had relentlessly attacked the Florida governor with demeaning nicknames and charges that he was disloyal. His exit came just two days before voting in New Hampshire’s primary, where Trump appears to be closing in on another victory that would underscore his unrivaled grip on the GOP.
DeSantis, 45, had seemed to many Republicans like the most viable challenger to Trump after the 2022 midterms, when the governor won reelection by a landslide. But he started to lose ground in polling even before his official campaign launch in May — via a glitchy live chat that neatly embodied the way his grand plans were going awry.
“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” DeSantis said in a video message he posted Sunday afternoon on the social media site X, formerly known as Twitter. “They watched his presidency get stymied by relentless resistance, and they see Democrats using lawfare to this day to attack him.”
He acknowledged “disagreements” with Trump — he spent the past year effectively calling Trump self-absorbed and ineffective — but suggested Trump’s remaining GOP rival, Nikki Haley, was worse. “We can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents,” DeSantis said.
I loved all of the “diva down” jokes and god knows, I love all of the photos and analysis of DeSantis’s high heels, sassy white boots and his completely insane laugh. Don’t let the jokes and memes fool you though – DeSantis is one of the most despicable politicians of the modern era, and the fact that he dropped out and immediately endorsed a man even more vile than himself speaks volumes. Still, we can enjoy the jokes:
Ron DeSantis should be forced to carry his presidential campaign to term
— Santiago Mayer (@santiagomayer_) January 21, 2024
it's not just that DeSantis was easy to bully, but also that he was fun to bully. you really got the sense that he went home and wept every night.
— JP (@jpbrammer) January 22, 2024
can’t stop thinking about how ron desantis basically had it all handed to him on a silver platter and all he had to do was not be a weird little gremlin
— soul nate (@MNateShyamalan) January 22, 2024
He drops out on twitter, doesn’t have the class and grace to do it in front of his supporters who worked hard for him, uses a fake Churchill quote, then kisses Trump’s ring 6 days after ridiculing people who kiss Trump’s ring.
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) January 21, 2024
ron desantis spent like $200M and all he accomplished was broadcasting to the whole world that he wears high heels inside his boots and eats pudding with his fingers
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) January 21, 2024
https://t.co/AyvcvhYsGi pic.twitter.com/M0v8AqeKAH
— Dark Brandon (@VoteDarkBrandon) January 21, 2024
DeSantis will never admit it, but his campaign was over the second this photo dropped. pic.twitter.com/H8HVWe1bae
— New Liberals 🌐🇺🇦 (@CNLiberalism) January 21, 2024
Ron DeSantis the minute he dropped out of the presidential race: pic.twitter.com/dQqmtjEp29
— eric (@MrEAnders) January 22, 2024
Boots will be worn at half-calf tonight pic.twitter.com/qC2KELrYUF
— Keith (@nagy_minaj) January 21, 2024
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- Governor Ron DeSantis (Republican of Florida) delivers remarks on “And To The Republic: The Florida Blueprint” at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York on April 1, 2023. In his remarks DeSantis commented on the Manhattan Grand Jury’s indictment of former US President Donald J. Trump. Featuring: Governor Ron DeSantis Where: Garden City, New York, United States When: 01 Apr 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- Governor Ron DeSantis (Republican of Florida) delivers remarks on “And To The Republic: The Florida Blueprint” at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York on April 1, 2023. In his remarks DeSantis commented on the Manhattan Grand Jury’s indictment of former US President Donald J. Trump. Featuring: Governor Ron DeSantis Where: Garden City, New York, United States When: 01 Apr 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- Governor Ron DeSantis (Republican of Florida) delivers remarks on “And To The Republic: The Florida Blueprint” at the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York on April 1, 2023. In his remarks DeSantis commented on the Manhattan Grand Jury’s indictment of former US President Donald J. Trump. Featuring: Governor Ron DeSantis Where: Garden City, New York, United States When: 01 Apr 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
The news coming from your country, about laws being made against women becomes ever more dystopian and ghastly.
I am sorry you have to go through that.
Please keep the Republicans out by voting, no matter how small or big the election.
Part of the problem seems to be that Democrat voters don’t turn out for smaller elections, which makes sure those creepy orcs get power on every level.
Imagine how sorry we are we have to go through this, Flowerlake. 😭
As someone who is a Florida Native and 68 years old, I have seen many governors of this once great state, but DeSantis has been by far the worst one ever to live in Tallahassee. I thought Jeb was the top of stupidity and selfishness, but DeSantis has him topped. DeSantis was a failure about controlling Covid, home prices are skyhigh, and car insurance and home insurance are unaffordable. He is also aided by our Republican state representatives. He only won his second term because the coward Dems of this state put up a pitiful opponent.
Imagine if Ivanka was his VP running mate! Get the popcorn ready because her debate against Kamala would be amazing. Kamala would destroy her.
Desantis and Cruz. Anything for power.
Trump announcing him as his VP in 3,2,1…
As vile as Trump is, he knows he’s getting crap for not emphasizing the full abortion ban, rolling back LGBTQ rights (including marriage) and some other stances that super conservative people want – he can let R.D. take the hard line and he can spend his time “punishing his enemies” as President. It will be a terrifying “win-win” for the GOP ticket.
Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, that RD was aiming for the VP slot.
They’re both from Florida so constitutionally De Santis can’t be his veep. And honestly I think trump hates him.
Tim Scott and Vivek are gunning HARD for the VP though.
I’ll admit I’m no constitutional scholar, and I could be reading this wrong: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/opinion/columns/2021/01/03/civics-project-no-prohibition-against-president-vp-candidates-same-state/4089264001/
I actually hope you’re right, though I think there’s a tango line of awful, but willing candidates if R.D. can’t be on his ticket.
Don’t count out Tim Scott. He owes his entire career to Nikky Haley and endorsed the former guy. That’s an impressive display of disloyalty and Trump likes to reward those. 😚
Tim Scott has also conveniently proposed to his “girlfriend” recently – I found the timing interesting.
This is my biggest fear. Desantis as VP would be dangerous and seriously up their chances of winning. The only hope is that Trump’s ego won’t let him choose his biggest competitor.
I was thinking it’d be one of his sons. Seriously.
I was thinking Ivanka, for those people who want to vote “historic”.
I think Trump truly despises DeSantis. And he’s so petty that he would not give it to him just because DeSantis wants it so badly.
I am reading a book called “Swamp Monsters” by NBC News reporter Matt Dixon. It basically covers their relationship and how Trump helped DeSantis rise to power. There is currently way too much bad blood and animosity, especially from Trump, for this happen. For the past 3 years, no politician has put Trump on edge in terms of overshadowing his return to the White House like DeSantis has (even though he became a non-starter in the primaries once he declared his candidacy). While DeSantis did what they all do in the end and kiss the ring, Trump is going to be harboring a grudge for awhile. And even though DeSantis is pathetically ambitious, the book lays out how he he was Trump’s “favorite governor” for two years and got an upfront view of how the administration functioned, including dealing with Mike Pence — he is fully aware of the precarious state one would be in being VP under Trump.
It won’t surprise me if DeSantis becomes Trump’s running mate.
Trump doesn’t like to be upstaged so there’s no way he’s going to make Ron his VP. I think he’s going to pick a woman. He needs those votes.
There’s no way DeStantis is not going to upstage Trump.
“Pudding Fingers is shutting down his campaign to spend more time with his lawyers.” 😆😂🤣 His campaign really did make a mockery of him so all that money was well spent.
You know Casey DeSantis is big mad. She was planning to take her Jackie Kennedy drag act all the way to the White House.
In a Tallahassee, an ad reads, “For sale: opera gloves, never worn.”
Oh she will sit on that anger and let it stew for 4 years. They will be back in 2028 with scores to settle. And he’ll be even more of a dick than his is now.
I don’t think there’s a big chance of that. He didn’t lose because his message wasn’t out there, or people didn’t know enough about him (like Asa Hutchinson, who has been running their whole time). He lost because the more people got to know him, the more they could see he was a hateful, weird man who didn’t like being around people. He had money and momentum and he blew it by being bad at political stuff and bad at faking being a human. It’s too big a flame out, he’s a loser now.
He reaches term limits in 2026, so there are rumors swirling in Tallahassee that she will pull a Lurleen Wallace and run for governor to continue their reign in Florida. Since she wants the power and spotlight so bad and has basically co-governed with him — she is the one who advised him to open the state back up quickly when covid hit — wouldn’t be surprised if this happened.
That is totally plausible. Still keeps them in Florida, and by then maybe people will have noticed the insurance problems that republicans are doing noting about. I’m in Texas and the re election of Abbott has been deadly and depressing as hell, so I’m not wishing misery on anyone that I’m not experiencing.
😂❤️
OMG that DarKBrandon tweet with Mickey and that famous GoT quote – perfection.
He was warned – don’t f@@k with the House of the Mouse.
LOSER!!!! And he’s backing a LOSER!!!!
As well as spineless and pathetic. The loser he endorsed has me greatly worried. Someone save the U.S.
now he can stop the Ozempic too, we should be able to tell when that happens
I feel like he already started gaining weight again in late fall, but wouldn’t be surprised if he got back to his 2020 weight by summer.
all this bootlicking to be VP to a man who wanted his last VP hanged, make it make sense
Anyone going for Trump’s VP ticket is doing it because either A) they hope the nomination would fall to them if/when Trump gets convicted of felonies this summer; or B) (GOD FORBID) Trump gets in to office again and then dies while still in office.
The man was wearing high heel shoes inside of cowboy boots that already had lifts in them
Bye, Felicia. 😂