Doubts have begun to swirl within the Republican Party over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his possible bid for the White House in 2024.

DeSantis leads in polls ahead of Tuesday's gubernatorial election and has been toying with the possibility of running for the White House, a scenario where he would most certainly be challenged by former President Donald Trump.

DeSantis has behaved like a presidential candidate leading up to the 2022 midterm elections and declined to confirm whether he would serve out a full four-year term as governor in his debate with Democrat Charlie Crist. DeSantis also has gathered more than $180 million in campaign funds, an amount he could use to launch his presidential campaign after the midterm elections.

In a Vanity Fair profile, DeSantis was reported to have spoken to donors privately and assured them that he would attack Trump's record and competence if he ran for the White House.

This is at odds with more recent rumors.

One Republican source who spoke to Vanity Fair said DeSantis "will not run if Trump does." The source said DeSantis had told high-profile donors his intentions.

Another source for Vanity Fair said that DeSantis "can walk into the presidency in 2028 without pissing off Trump or Florida" and added, "What would you rather do? Be the governor of Florida for certain or go run for president?"

It's unclear how well DeSantis would fare in a general election, which may cause worry for the GOP. A Statista survey in October showed that 26% of Americans had a very unfavorable view of DeSantis, while 27% of Americans had a very favorable view.

DeSantis' possible White House run may depend on the upcoming election. A strong showing against Democrat Val Demings would bolster DeSantis' profile as the top Republican candidate in 2024.

While Trump remains the face of the Republican party, DeSantis has youth on his side. DeSantis is 44 years old, while Trump is 76. Many Republican lawmakers may endorse DeSantis but only if Trump's popularity fades.

Brian Morgenstern, a former Trump spokesperson, wrote in his book "Vignettes & Vino," that Trump told historians in December 2020 that he might lack the stamina to win back the White House.

The Republican nomination has been a big source of the political split, though DeSantis and Trump have remained at odds since before the first presidential rumors began to surface.

"They hate each other," a former Trump advisor told Vanity Fair.

Another reason for the rift is likely due to DeSantis endorsing a Colorado senate candidate who has been critical of Trump.

"We have a rift with Trump. Big shocker," a source close to the DeSantis campaign told CNN this week. "It's no secret that things are cool between [Trump and DeSantis] right now. They're not punching each other, but we're not helping them and they're not helping us."

Such bad blood has been common between Trump and many of his former allies. He previously bashed his attorney general Jeff Sessions, his secretary of state Rex Tillerson and his national security advisor John Bolton, among others.

DeSantis won the 2018 gubernatorial election due in part to Trump's endorsement. The pair had previously sung each other praises.

Trump and DeSantis are scheduled for separate rallies on Sunday in Florida and have made no mention of one another. Trump is scheduled for a rally in Miami for his former rival-turned-ally, Sen. Marco Rubio.

Another Republican source informed Vanity Fair that if DeSantis backs off from the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump would welcome him as an ally.

"Trump will be happy he's not in," said the Republican source.

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