Florida Governor Ron DeSantis enters race to be next US president

Ron DeSantis has entered the race to be the next US president, going head to head with Donald Trump.

He filed a declaration of candidacy with the US federal electoral commission on Wednesday.

The 44-year-old becomes the latest in a crowded Republican contest to decide whether the party will move on from Mr Trump in 2024 as it aims to retake the White House from Democrat Joe Biden.

Those already in the GOP field include former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson.

Former vice president Mike Pence is also expected to announce his candidacy in the coming weeks.

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Under Mr DeSantis’s watch, Florida has passed numerous so-called anti-woke laws, such as the heavily-criticised “don’t say gay” bill and a ban on teaching critical race theory.

Restrictions on abortion following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v Wade have also been introduced in the Sunshine State, enacting a ban on abortion after six weeks.

Recent polling has Mr DeSantis consistently trailing former president Mr Trump, with some indication that the gap is growing.

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