Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) has admitted the commanding lead held by former President Donald Trump in the New Hampshire primary.

Despite trailing behind former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Trump in New Hampshire polls, DeSantis delved into the dynamics of the race during an appearance on Fox News's Your World With Neil Cavuto.

DeSantis concedes Trump is going to 'run away with it in New Hampshire' https://t.co/AQNS5k9P3J

— Corey Lambrecht (@OklaInspector) January 20, 2024

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DeSantis pointed to the significant financial investment made by Nikki Haley in the New Hampshire primary as a factor influencing her current position.

He highlighted the unprecedented amount of money poured into the state by Haley but expressed the belief that Trump's momentum from Iowa would ultimately secure him a decisive victory in New Hampshire.

“I think a lot of it’s a factor of her dumping so much money into the state. I think an unprecedented amount of money,” remarked DeSantis. “But I think her problem is Trump will run away with it in New Hampshire.”

While asserting the strengths of his own campaign, DeSantis acknowledged the uphill challenge posed by Trump, characterizing the former president as a "de-facto incumbent" in the Republican presidential primary.

Moving beyond Iowa

DeSantis argued that Trump's securing of 51% in Iowa challenged the perceived inevitability of his candidacy, indicating that a significant portion of voters remained open to alternative choices.

“I think what Iowa showed is, [Trump] got half the vote, which is good, really good in a normal caucus season, but I think he’s a de-facto incumbent president that is the most famous person in politics. So that was telling that you had half the people, roughly, that opted for someone else,” DeSantis commented.

Despite finishing second in the Iowa caucuses with 21.2%, compared to Trump's 51%, DeSantis faces a formidable position in New Hampshire, where he currently trails with 6%, according to the RealClearPolitics polling average.

Still countering Trump

The governor emphasized the critical importance of countering the narrative of Trump's inevitability, suggesting that this perception contributed to lower turnout in Iowa and could continue to impact voter engagement in subsequent primaries.

“It’s a big comedown for somebody who a year ago looked like he was going to be the one to take on Trump,” said Jon McHenry, a vice president at North Star Opinion Research Group whose firm worked on DeSantis’ 2018 gubernatorial campaign, according to the Associated Press.

“That’s the sort of thing a campaign does when they say, ‘We are going to get destroyed here so let’s act like we didn’t contest the state,’” he added.

The intricate interplay of financial investments, candidate momentum and voter perceptions adds layers to the unfolding Republican primary in New Hampshire.

As DeSantis navigates the challenges of a competitive field, the dynamics underscore the strategic considerations and narratives in this crucial phase of the presidential race.