Internet not surprised as Ron DeSantis slams Nikki Haley as 'repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism'

CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis officially ended his presidential campaign on Sunday, January 21, throwing his support behind former President Donald Trump and slamming his former rival Nikki Haley.

DeSantis' decision to endorse Trump came just two days after he questioned Trump's electability in the general election against Joe Biden during a visit to New Hampshire.

DeSantis's surprise pivot

In a video announcement, DeSantis stated, "It's clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance. They watched his presidency get stymied by relentless resistance, and they see Democrats using lawfare to this day to attack him. Trump is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden. That is clear. I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honor that pledge."

DeSantis dropped out of the race just ahead of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary, where he was running third in the polls. With Nikki Haley's home state of South Carolina up next in the primary process, DeSantis faced an uncertain path to the nomination after his failure to win Iowa.

Acknowledging past disagreements with Trump, DeSantis used his endorsement to take a swipe at GOP rival Nikki Haley, asserting, "He has my endorsement because we can't go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear — a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism — that Nikki Haley represents."

Social media reacts to Ron DeSantis

Social media exploded with reactions to DeSantis' comments against Haley.

"We saw this coming. Nice one Ron Desantis for Endorsing Trump. Nikki Haley is time for you to give it Up," one posted on X.

"How much longer will her big Democrat donors keep funding her campaign? Never Nikki!" another wrote.

"I hope De Santis remembers how Nikki did him dirty during the debates," someone else added.

"Thanks for putting up a good fight! Time to rally behind Trump and save America from destruction," another offered. 

In his video message, DeSantis quoted Winston Churchill and thanked his family, particularly his wife Casey, for their unwavering support.

"I want to thank my wife Casey and our kids Madison, Mason, and Mamie. Casey has gone far above and beyond in her support for our campaign and for our cause. She is not only a great wife and mother; she is a great American, who cares deeply about the future of the country that our kids will inherit," DeSantis said.

"Our kids have seen and done a lot on the trail, from playing on the famed Field of Dreams baseball site in Iowa to making their first snowman in New Hampshire," he continued. "They are one of the reasons we fight so hard for what we believe in."

He closed with Churchill's words, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal — it is the courage to continue that counts."

Reversal of Criticisms

That said, the Trump endorsement marked a reversal for DeSantis, who had previously criticized the former's age and questioned his ability to inspire Republican voters. 

Trump, in turn, had nicknamed DeSantis "DeSanctimonious" and criticized him for running against Trump after benefiting from his endorsement in the past.

DeSantis had warned about Trump's electability, citing low Republican turnout in the Iowa caucuses.

He argued, "It's a warning sign for the party in November because the turnout was so abysmally low. There's terrible enthusiasm right now. You have some folks on our side who don't want to do the Trump thing again, and they checked out and they checked out of the caucus."

Meanwhile, Nikki Haley issued similar warnings, stating that "chaos and drama" follow Trump wherever he goes.

"I've said it over and over again, rightly or wrongly chaos and drama follow him," she stated in New Hampshire on Thursday. "My style is different. No vendetta, no drama, no vengeance." 

As New Hampshire prepares for its primary, the results will be closely watched as an indicator of Republican enthusiasm for the former president.

Despite DeSantis' criticisms, Trump's rally in Manchester showcased confidence as he dismissed DeSantis with the moniker "Ron DeSanctimonious." However, he ultimately "retired" the nickname once the Florida governor dropped out of the race and endorsed him for president.