DeSantis enters 2024 White House race

WASHINGTON: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis filed papers to launch his 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday, signalling 18 months of acrimony ahead as he and Donald Trump lock horns in what is expected to be an attritional contest for the Republican nomination.

DeSantis was considered a rising Republican star, but has been caught flat-footed by months of relentless attacks from the former president, who has surged into a commanding lead despite being engulfed in criminal investigations. The 44-year-old governor filed his candidacy documentation with the Federal Election Commission hours ahead of his scheduled announcement in a chat with Elon Musk on the social network´s audio platform.