Ron DeSantis launches 2024 candidacy with video vowing to ‘restore America’ after failed Twitter event

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his presidential campaign in a new video and press release, but his efforts to join the campaign live on Twitter stalled after the platform’s servers crashed. bottom.

Mr. DeSantis announced his candidacy in a video, vowing to “restore America to greatness,” and promising to “rebuild the ship” that has languished under President Joe Biden.

“Our borders are a disaster. Our cities are rife with crime. The federal government is making it difficult for families to make ends meet. And the president is struggling,” DeSantis said. said in a new video. “But decline is also a choice. Success is achievable. And freedom is worth fighting for.”

DeSantis was scheduled to speak live on Twitter Space with Elon Musk, but the platform crashed after hundreds of thousands of listeners logged in.

“There are so many people here that I wonder if the servers are melting,” said David Sacks, co-host of Twitter Spaces.

The Twitter event continued intermittently, with Mr. Musk calling the incident “really disappointing.”

DeSantis was scheduled to appear on Fox News and conservative radio host Mark Levin’s talk show later Wednesday.

One of the youngest candidates in the race, DeSantis, 44, has emerged as the most formidable opponent of former President Donald Trump, who has viciously attacked former subordinates to undermine his early candidacy. there is

Nationwide, DeSantis leads Trump by about 37 points, but a close race is expected in key early states. DeSantis’ team has already infiltrated Iowa, where pro-life Christian voters dominate the caucuses, giving the governor of Florida a chance to oust Trump from the top spot.

More than half a dozen Republicans have entered the race, but none of the Republican voters, except DeSantis and Trump, have achieved high-single-digit percentages or more.

DeSantis holds about 20% of the Republican vote, compared with more than 50% for Trump, according to the latest national poll.

In announcing his campaign video, DeSantis touted Florida’s track record of rejecting a COVID-19 vaccine and mandates, stepping up law enforcement and ending “awakened” education policies in public schools.

“We held the line when our freedom was at stake,” DeSantis said in the video.