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DeSantis blasts Washington Post over report he’s preparing 2028 presidential bid
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis denied a report that he is preparing to run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2028, accusing The Washington Post of inventing claims that he had contacted political consultants. The report highlights speculation about his political future after his 2024 campaign ended, but DeSantis said he had approached nobody about running for office.
The newspaper cited three people briefed on his plans and said he had contacted at least one national consultant about a possible campaign; it also reported that a DeSantis-linked federal super PAC had sent a fundraising text. DeSantis is term-limited after 2026 and is due to leave office in January. The report comes after Republicans suffered broad midterm losses, while Florida remained a Republican stronghold.
In short
- DeSantis denies preparing a 2028 presidential campaign.
- The report cited three people briefed on his plans.
- He previously sought the Republican nomination in 2024.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The Post’s report may be a legitimate account of private political activity, based on three people briefed on DeSantis’s plans and a reported contact with a national consultant. Reporting on possible early manoeuvring can help voters understand how a prominent politician may be preparing for a future campaign, even when he publicly denies it.
The case against
DeSantis’s denial deserves serious weight: he says he has approached nobody about running, and private conversations or fundraising activity linked to a political ally do not by themselves establish that he is preparing a bid. If the sources’ accounts are mistaken or lack context, publishing the claim risks misleading readers and unfairly shaping speculation about his intentions.