據美聯社5月24日報道，44歲的美國佛羅里達州州長德桑蒂斯在推特正式宣佈參加2024年總統選舉，角逐共和黨提名，他被視為前總統特朗普在共和黨內的“頭號競爭對手”。近幾個月來，特朗普官司纏身，為其角逐2024年共和黨總統候選人增加了不少變數，德桑蒂斯能成為特朗普的有力挑戰者嗎？

有網友說，至少這次推特直播宣佈參選總統不是很理想。德桑蒂斯的網路直播活動因推特故障屢屢出現斷線、亂碼。特朗普陣營對此嘲諷稱德桑蒂斯釋出會簡直是讓網民見證了一場災難。早前宣佈參選的妮基·黑利（Nikki Haley）方面諷刺德桑蒂斯“競選啟動失敗”，並期待德桑蒂斯的競選活動失敗。特朗普也在社交媒體平臺發文稱，德桑蒂斯的推特釋出會是一場災難，他的整個競選活動也將是一場災難，“都來見證”。

報道稱，德桑蒂斯選擇推特來發布參選訊息，是參考特朗普的劇本，因推特曾幫助特朗普搖身變成政治明星。但事態沒按計劃發展。直播先是發生技術故障，預定開始時間過了20分鐘，使用者只聽到話筒噪音、音樂播不出來等一堆技術問題。

德桑蒂斯曾擔任美國國會眾議員，2018年當選佛州州長，並於2022年連任。目前多家民調顯示，德桑蒂斯支援率落後於特朗普，但遙遙領先於其他共和黨參選人。值得關注的是，德桑蒂斯競選佛州州長時，曾獲時任美國總統特朗普力挺。但此後兩人關係惡化，最近幾個月，特朗普多次公開攻擊、羞辱德桑蒂斯。今年3月，特朗普在一次競選集會上，爆料稱德桑蒂斯競選州長時“眼裡含著淚水”乞求他的支援。

那麼，在共和黨選民心中，究竟德桑蒂斯會成為特朗普的“平替款”還是“升級款”呢？44歲的德桑蒂斯真的有機會在未來逆襲翻盤成為共和黨的提名候選人嗎？

– I'm Ron DeSantis and I'm running for president  to lead our great American comeback. 

– [Narrator] Florida governor, Ron DeSantis,  has officially entered the 2024 presidential race,  after announcing his bid in a Twitter conversation  with Elon Musk. 

– [Ron] Governing is not entertainment. 

It's not about building a brand or virtue signaling. 

It is about delivering results. 

And our results in Florida have been second-to-none. 

We can and we must deliver big results for America. 

– [Narrator] After a big win in the midterms  and a successful legislative session in Florida,  DeSantis is looking to take his politics national,  going head to head with former president Donald Trump  for the GOP nomination. 

– They are the top two contenders  for the Republican nomination at this point. 

No one else comes close. 

– [Narrator] But moving from state politics  to a national stage  presents its own challenges for DeSantis. 

So what should we expect from the governor,  and what challenges lie ahead?  Once close allies,  the relationship between DeSantis and Trump  has evolved greatly over time. 

– We need to elect Ron DeSantis  as your governor. 

– [Narrator] Trump endorsed DeSantis  in the 2018 gubernatorial election. 

– Mr. President, I look forward to working with you  to advance Florida's priorities. 

I think you're gonna get tired of me calling you,  asking you for things for Florida. 

– They felt similarly on a lot of issues. 

DeSantis sort of championed those issues back in Florida. 

The president had a real ally there. 

That really came off the wheels recently  as the governor asserted himself politically  and began to look at a presidential run. 

– [Narrator] Now, Trump's attitude toward DeSantis  has soured, often jabbing the governor  about sagging approval ratings. 

– Let's see, there it is, Trump at 71,  Ron DeSanctimonious at 10%. 

– He feels that the governor is disloyal,  that Ron DeSantis is not showing him proper respect  by challenging him for the presidency. 

– [Narrator] DeSantis has largely avoided responding  to the former president's attacks. 

– I don't know how to spell DeSanctimonious. 

I don't really know what it means,  but you know, I kinda like it. 

It's long, it's got a lotta vowels. 

I mean, so. (Piers laughing)  We can go with that, that's fine. 

You know, you can call me whatever you want. 

I mean, just as long as you, you know,  also call me a winner. 

– In order to win the Republican nomination,  Ron DeSantis is going to need a lot of Trump supporters. 

So alienating those with hard-hitting attacks  against the former president could turn those people off. 

– Donald Trump. 

– [Narrator] Since winning the 2018 election,  DeSantis' popularity among voters has exploded in Florida,  illustrated by his landslide 19-point reelection win  in the November midterms. 

And his popularity continued to grow  after he delivered several conservative policy victories  during the last legislative session in Florida. 

From restrictions on drag shows  to limiting spending on diversity programs in colleges,  DeSantis' policies have made national headlines  and will likely serve as the backbone  for his presidential campaign  as he tries to win over a wider range of voters. 

– He'll be able to say, "Look how effective I was. 

I got X, Y, and X done."  Versus, you know, some of the struggles  that Trump as president had getting his agenda passed. 

– [Narrator] Other bills endorsed by DeSantis  include allowing concealed handguns without a permit  and a strick six-week abortion ban. 

While those policies may serve DeSantis well  in the primaries, they could also prove  to be a challenge for him in the general election. 

In a "Wall Street Journal" poll  asking about the right to carry a concealed handgun  without a permit,  56% of Republican primary voters  said they support that right. 

While nationwide, 65% of overall voters were in opposition. 

And for the six-week abortion ban,  68% of Republican primary voters favored the ban,  but 53% of voters overall opposed it. 

– The abortion issue is very complex. 

It's controversial. 

Six weeks is seen as pretty extreme by a lot of people. 

– [Narrator] DeSantis is also preparing  to challenge the incumbent president, Joe Biden,  who along with Trump has experience running  in presidential elections and winning them. 

– DeSantis is not tested on a national stage. 

He doesn't have the experience dealing  with world leaders or major global issues. 

So that'll be something that both Trump and Biden  would use against Ron DeSantis. 

– [Narrator] DeSantis now joins a growing swath  of Republican candidates in the race,  including Trump, former South Carolina governor,  Nikki Haley, and South Carolina senator, Tim Scott,  with the potential for others,  including former vice president Mike Pence,  who may announce in the coming months. 

– Right now, it's down to Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. 

It's their fight to lose. 

Republicans are hungry for someone  who can get something done. 

There's a number of other Republicans  that are vying for this and they're gonna be looking  especially to see if Ron DeSantis stumbles. 

Essentially, if you boil down Ron DeSantis' argument is,  "I am effective. 

I can carry on the agenda that Donald Trump kinda started  but actually get it passed."