Former President Donald Trump insinuated on Truth Social that Governor Ron DeSantis was dropping out of the presidential race to run for the Senate and was smacked down for it by the Florida conservative’s campaign.

“Roomer (sic) are strong in political circles that Ron DeSanctimonious, whose Presidential run is a shambles, and whose poll numbers have absolutely crashed, putting him 3rd and 4th in some states, will be dropping out of the Presidential race in order to run, in Florida, against Rick Scott for Senate. Now that’s an interesting one, isn’t it?” Trump posted to his Truth Social account on Monday.

The original post was deleted and replaced with a nearly identical one that was scrubbed of typos.

“This is fake news. Clearly, Donald Trump and his army of consultants are panicked about @RonDeSantis’ winning debate performance and the strong momentum that has followed. They know this is a two-man race, and we will carry this on to a win in this presidential primary. Instead of pushing fake news from New Jersey, the Trump campaign should be focused on getting their candidate on the campaign trail in Iowa and on the debate stage before it’s too late,” press secretary for DeSantis, Bryan Griffin, clapped back.

This is fake news. Clearly, Donald Trump and his army of consultants are panicked about @RonDeSantis‘ winning debate performance and the strong momentum that has followed. They know this is a two-man race, and we will carry this on to a win in this presidential primary. Instead… https://t.co/f4PNHEzHnE

— Bryan Griffin (@BryanDGriffin) August 28, 2023

Forbes noted, “DeSantis could not run for the Senate without resigning as governor under Florida’s resign-to-run law which prohibits state, district, county and municipal elected officials from running for another office if the terms run concurrently. The GOP-led Florida legislature amended the law in April to add an exception for elected officials running for president and vice president in what was widely viewed as a favor to DeSantis.”

DeSantis is still Trump’s closest competitor for the presidency. He jumped two points to 12% following the first GOP primary debate. But Trump is still leading him by 38 points, according to an Emerson College Poll despite skipping the debate. The former president’s lead dropped six points following the debate.

For DeSantis’ part, he seems to be focusing on issues rather than personally attacking Trump.

As he spoke in Algona, Iowa, DeSantis blasted President Biden for presiding over an “America in decline.” He specifically took aim at his disastrous handling of the crisis at the US-Mexico border.

“These elites … they don’t want to have to deal with what’s happening at the border,” DeSantis said, according to the New York Post.

“What Texas has done, by sending so many to Manhattan and other parts of New York City, it’s been very effective,” he noted. “You now have the mayor of New York City saying Biden needs to do something about that border.”

“This election has got to be focused on holding Joe Biden accountable,” DeSantis proclaimed.

Conservatives don’t like Trump spreading unfounded rumors about the Florida governor despite their support for him:

I assume his next message will be a “time to unite” message. Why create drama between Rick Scott and DeSantis? This is the kind of stuff that lost us 2022 and will lose downballot races.

— FugitiveMama (@fugitivemama) August 28, 2023

Of course it’s fake. I never for an instant believed it was real.

— Karen Del’Marmol (@KDelmarmol) August 28, 2023

As the best Governor in America prepares his state for a potential hurricane, while also dealing with a racially motivated shooting and while continuing to run his presidential campaign, Trump fires up the grade school attack machine.

6 more months of this before the 1st primary

— Kip Herriage (@KHerriage) August 28, 2023

Psst, DeSantis has suspended his campaign to protect Floridians before, during and after the Storm. But please keep talking hogwash #Idalia

— ‍♀️ Holly Incognito (@HollyforFlorida) August 29, 2023

nonsense….Fake news and pathetic this would see print.

— Bostonsportsnut (@Bostonsports666) August 28, 2023

Ron DeSantis’ vs Trump’s approach to handling Hurricane Idalia. Trump could’ve used this time to put his bs aside & work with Ron to help these people & show that he can be a leader during devastating times. That’s what someone who wants to be president should be doing.

So if… pic.twitter.com/oA3nEYX8t0

— Cultist Ls (@LoomerLs) August 29, 2023

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