DeSantis denies report of preparations for 2028 presidential bid

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis denied a report that he is preparing to seek the 2028 Republican presidential nomination, saying he had not contacted anyone about running. The report, which cited three people briefed on his plans, said he had approached a political consultant about possible campaign work. That account has not been independently confirmed in the reporting, and DeSantis rejected it publicly.

In a post on X on November 6, DeSantis said, “The Washington Post is fabricating this out of whole cloth,” and, “I have not reached out to anybody about running for anything.” He also described the report as an attempt to attract clicks and objected to its reliance on anonymous sources.

The report said DeSantis had contacted at least one national political consultant about working on a prospective campaign. It also said a federal super PAC tied to him sent a fundraising text that week. People who know DeSantis viewed the text as a signal of an intention to run, according to the report. DeSantis’s denial leaves the alleged consultant outreach disputed.

DeSantis also responded to social-media users who said they hoped the report was accurate. He said he was sorry to disappoint them and...