Ron DeSantis, the Governor of Florida and a contender in the 2024 U.S. presidential race, recently finished second in a crucial state for the Republican nomination. Reports from January 15 indicated that at the Iowa Republican caucus, DeSantis received approximately 21% of the vote, placing him behind former U.S. President Donald Trump. The polling data revealed that DeSantis garnered 23,420 votes, compared to Trump's 56,260. This result earned DeSantis eight delegates for the upcoming Republican National Convention in July.
Since launching his presidential campaign, DeSantis has consistently lagged behind Trump by over 10 points in various polls. In some surveys, he also trailed behind another presidential hopeful, Nikki Haley. Following the Iowa caucus results, Vivek Ramaswamy, another Republican nominee known for his cryptocurrency-focused policies, withdrew from the race on January 15, having secured about 8% of the vote.
DeSantis officially began his presidential campaign in July 2023, making a notable pledge to prohibit U.S. central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) if elected. Prior to his campaign, as governor, he had signed legislation in Florida aimed at limiting the use of federally issued CBDCs within the state. He justified this move by citing concerns over potential threats to consumer financial freedom.
The formal announcements for the Republican and Democratic nominations are scheduled for July and August, respectively. Current polls suggest that, barring unexpected events, the likely nominees will be President Joe Biden and Donald Trump. By the 2024 Election Day, Biden and Trump will be 81 and 78 years old, respectively. Notably, Trump is currently facing multiple felony charges at both the state and federal levels and is involved in legal battles that could potentially disqualify him from the ballot.
The influence of cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology in the upcoming U.S. elections remains uncertain. However, a poll released on January 2 by the Cryptocurrency Innovation Council suggests that cryptocurrency users could emerge as a significant swing voting bloc in the 2024 elections. This indicates the growing importance of digital currency issues among American voters.
