JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Although Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has yet to announce if he will run for president in 2024, if he does, he may have the support of the world’s richest man.
Early on Wednesday morning, billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk said on Twitter that he is leaning toward DeSantis for president.
DeSantis during a Wednesday morning news conference responded to a question about Musk’s tweets.
“I would say, you know, I’m focused on 2022, but with Elon Musk, what I would say is, you know, I welcome support from African-Americans. What can I say?” DeSantis said, eliciting laughs from the crowd.
The Twitter exchange started when Musk, who was born in South Africa, responded to a story about Republican Mayra Flores winning a special election for Texas’s 34th Congressional District.
“I voted for Mayra Flores – first time I ever voted Republican. Massive red wave in 2022,” Musk wrote.
Twitter user @teslaownersSV then asked Musk if he plans to vote for a Republican for president also, and Musk said that was “to be determined.”
He was then asked who he was leaning toward.
“DeSantis,” he tweeted.
DeSantis
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 15, 2022
Another account responded to Musk asking, “But your political donations will be evenly spread out, as you do always. Right??”
“I’m thinking of creating a ‘Super Moderate Super PAC’ that supports candidates with centrist views from all parties,” Musk replied.
It’s largely assumed that DeSantis will run for the country’s highest office in 2024. Recent polls show he and former President Donald Trump — who has also not officially said he would run — would be front-runners for the Republican Party nomination.
Musk has said he plans to vote for Republicans in future elections instead of Democrats, though he said he has voted for Democrats like President Barack Obama in the past.
Musk said he has voted for Democrats “because they were (mostly) the kindness party. But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican.”
Musk, 50, went on to say he previously supported Andrew Yang for president, but “DeSantis has a better chance of winning.”
DeSantis has expressed public support for Musk.
“This is a guy that has succeeded in almost every enterprise he’s ever done,” DeSantis said in May.
DeSantis said Florida stands to make a $15 to $20 million profit if Musk completes his purchase of Twitter for $44 billion and takes it private.
Florida is an investor in the social media platform through the state’s pension fund and would see the profit thanks to Musk’s offer of $54.20 per share.
But while DeSantis supports the sale of Twitter to Musk, he doesn’t want its headquarters in Florida.
DeSantis is running for reelection in 2022 and will likely face either Charlie Crist or Nikki Fried, both Democrats.
In the past I voted Democrat, because they were (mostly) the kindness party.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 18, 2022
But they have become the party of division & hate, so I can no longer support them and will vote Republican.
Now, watch their dirty tricks campaign against me unfold … 🍿
