Ron DeSantis looks toward 2028: Florida governor 'says Trump supporters have promised to vote for him in the next election as he begins to build "off-ramp" from 2024 campaign'

Ron DeSantis spent most of his resources in Iowa, only to finish 30 points behind Donald TrumpTuesday is the second contest in the Republican primary, when New Hampshire votes: DeSantis is effectively sitting it out, and focused on South CarolinaHe is hoping to snatch South Carolina from former Governor Nikki Haley, but he is also shifting his tone, saying Trump supporters will back him in 2028 

Ron DeSantis is seeking an ‘off-ramp’ from his 2024 campaign, according to reports, following a disappointing performance in Iowa – buoyed by the promise from Trump supporters to back him in 2028.

The Florida governor spent most of his resources in Iowa, only to finish 30 points behind Trump. He has largely ignored New Hampshire, which votes on Tuesday – and could see Nikki Haley defeat Trump.

Instead, he has been trying to revive his candidacy with an eye toward the February 24 South Carolina GOP primary, which is Haley’s home state.

DeSantis’s efforts were dealt a further blow on Friday night by former presidential contender Tim Scott – a senator for South Carolina – endorsing Trump.

The New York Times suggested that DeSantis is seeking an ‘off ramp’ from his campaign.

Ron DeSantis is seen on the campaign trail in New Hampshire on Friday

Sen Tim Scott appeared on stage with Donald Trump on Friday evening in Concord, New Hampshire, to endorse the former president is the race for the Republican nomination

Trump spoke warmly about Scott even before he dropped out the 2024 race, sparking frequent speculation that the South Carolina senator may be his VP pick

DeSantis, 45, has adopted a more self-reflective and conciliatory tone in recent days, suggesting he has perhaps accepted that 2024 will not be his year.

‘Look, my goal is to win the nomination. Had we won Iowa, we would have been in a great spot,’ said DeSantis in an interview on Thursday with radio host Hugh Hewitt.

‘I don’t want to be VP, I don’t want to be in the cabinet, I don’t want a TV show.

‘I’m in it to win it, and at some point if that’s not working out for you, I recognize that. This isn’t a vanity thing for me.’

He admitted to Hewitt that perhaps his campaign strategy had been flawed, and conceded that Trump’s strategy was a successful one.

‘Clearly, when you win Iowa by the amount he did, that’s what you want to be doing if you’re going to win the nomination,’ he said.

DeSantis said that focusing on Fox News, and ignoring other networks, had perhaps been an error.

‘I should have just been blanketing, I should have gone on all the corporate shows, I should have gone on everything.

‘We had an opportunity, I think, to come out of the gate and do that and reach a much broader folk.’

DeSantis has also in recent days dwelt publicly on the sentiment among Trump supporters he met on the campaign trail, and their pledge to vote for him in the next cycle.

Speaking on Tuesday in South Carolina, DeSantis said that Trump voters in Iowa had told him they would support him in four years.

‘They were coming up to me saying, “We want you in 2028, we love you, man,” he said.

DeSantis said that Donald Trump’s supporters in Iowa have pledged to support him in 2028, he said

He told a similar story on NBC News.

‘I had people come up to me saying, “I love you, man. I’m going to do Trump this time and you next time,”‘ he said.

‘That’s not what I wanted to hear, but being there we did make an impression and it’s important.’

DeSantis’s campaign spokesman insisted that their candidate was remaining in the race.

Andrew Romeo, the DeSantis campaign’s communications director, said DeSantis was in the race ‘for the long haul,’ through South Carolina and beyond.

DailyMail.com has contacted the DeSantis campaign for comment.