Ron DeSantis's Early Lead In GOP 2024 Presidential Primary Could Be His Candidature's 'Death Knell'

The 2024 race for the White House is now officially the prime focus for Americans after the 118th Congress convened for the first time on Jan. 3. While the nation is familiar with the names that will be in the running, Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., has held an early strong lead over his GOP political competitors including former Vice President Mike Pence. But that could be the "death knell" for DeSantis'candidature, pundits have warned, according to The Hill.

Joe Biden has not announced his bid for a second term yet but has alluded to the same in past interviews. Donald Trump formally announced his bid for the White House in mid-November. "In order to make America great and glorious again, I am tonight announcing my candidacy for president of the United States," he had said during the speech that was branded uninspired by many.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., is believed to also be in the hunt, but he won't contend, once Biden officially announces his claim.

Trump hasn't been extended the same courtesy by his GOP colleague. In retaliation, the former president has issued warnings and threats, without details, asking DeSantis to not run against him in the presidential primary in 2024. DeSantis won the midterms in November by a landslide, despite his opposers claiming that he would not serve a full term as governor as he is eyeing the Oval Office. Despite not announcing his official bid for the same, yet, there are some very obvious signs that he's preparing for 2024.

History hasn't been considerate toward early presidential frontrunners. Lawmakers have warned this could happen to DeSantis, citing examples of past candidates who were off to a great start but turned out problematic later, The Hill noted.

"People flame out. It's too early to know who's actually going to be in contention, but he's certainly had a successful election and he's a strong candidate from a big, important state, so you can't discount him," Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said of DeSantis.

Ford O'Connell, a Republican strategist, noted that being the front-runner was "the death knell to people like Jeb Bush."

"I just think he was cautious. I think he was being overly defensive and cautious," David Paleologos, the director of the political research center at Suffolk University, said of Bush. "His skillset and the age of his advisers was much more seasoned and discounted the potential for someone else to come in and steal the nomination away."

Some political watchers have also warned that DeSantis could peak too soon, as former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker did before the 2016 GOP presidential primary, or he could make the mistake of waiting too long to fully use his resources, as Rudy Giuliani did in the 2008 GOP primary.

Giuliani's campaign launched in February 2007 but never really took off in the early nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee had won the Iowa Caucuses and Sen. John McCain of Arizona won in the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries.