Eyes on 2024: DeSantis hits the road

Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., may not have announced a presidential bid yet, but he’s hardly been subtle about his national ambitions, and continues to draw a significant amount of oxygen in this burgeoning race. 

He spent Presidents’ Day weekend speaking to law enforcement groups in New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago hosted by an affiliated non-profit. (Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has been one of DeSantis’ chief antagonists in recent months, and the Republican’s visit to Chicago has become a flash-point in the tight mayoral race there.)

And DeSantis will travel to Alabama, California and Texas around the release of his book later this month, NBC News’ Natasha Korecki reports. 

These events, along with a spate of press conferences and legislative endorsements back home, continue to help him shore up his standing with the Republican base as he appears poised to enter the presidential race as a co-frontrunner. 

(Former Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker, who knows a little bit about trying to leverage lofty standing in the GOP into a challenge to Trump, told NBC News’ Henry J. Gomez on Friday that DeSantis is probably in a “better” spot than he was in 2016). 

And DeSantis’ moves have provoked pushback from Trump, who spent another day lambasting his former ally on his social media platform, this time calling him a “RINO in disguise” and trying to frame him as a member of the party establishment, and releasing his own crime plan Monday evening, after DeSantis’ events.

In other campaign news: 

Something special: Voters in Virginia’s 4th Congressional District are heading to the polls Tuesday in a special election to replace the late Democratic Rep. Donald McEachin. Democratic State Sen. Jennifer McClellan is expected to prevail in the deep blue district.

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For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

Finding the right lane: The New York Times explores whether New Hampshire GOP Gov. Chris Sununu can capture the “normal” lane if he decides to run for president. 

Hogan’s choice: Former Maryland GOP Gov. Larry Hogan, a vocal Trump critic, told “Meet the Press” on Sunday that he would consider not running for president if his candidacy could inadvertently help Trump win the Republican primary.

Biden’s team and playbook: The Biden team is struggling to find a campaign manager for his expected re-election run, and he could announce his run as soon as April, NBC News’ Mike Memoli, Jonathan Allen, Carol E. Lee and Alex Seitz-Wald report. Biden’s team, meanwhile, is working to set up his 2024 playbook, which mirrors his 2020 strategy, as “competent beats crazy,” the New York Times reports. 

The last dance?: NBC News’ Natasha Korecki looks at the possibility that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot could fall short of even making a runoff in her re-election bid next week.  

Thinking about it: Republican Kari Lake, who lost last year’s race for governor, is moving closer to a Senate run with a potential June announcement, the Washington Post reports. Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb also tweeted over the weekend that he is “seriously considering” a Senate run. 

Trump troubles: The Washington Post’s recent Republican focus groups found a significant chunk hoping to vote for someone else to win the party’s 2024 presidential nomination. The Associated Press notes that Trump hasn’t visited Iowa as a 2024 candidate yet even as other rivals head to the state (Trump announced a handful of staff hires in Iowa this past weekend). And NBC News’ Daniel Barnes reports that lawyers representing Proud Boys accused of seditious conspiracy plan to subpoena Trump to testify.