Media personality Megyn Kelly suggested that Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) use of Twitter to announce his 2024 candidacy for president was a “significant shake-up” to the status quo, compared to how Republican candidates have previously entered their races.
“He’s making the announcement on Twitter,” Kelly said ahead of the live Twitter event that would be in audio only and see initial technical difficulties. “He's not making the announcement on Fox News. That is a sea change for these Republican candidates.”
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“Trust me, I was the one in the anchor chair when a lot of these people came on to announce their candidacy — back when I was still at Fox in the 2016 race,” Kelly continued on The Megyn Kelly Show on SiriusXM. “We did in-depth profiles on, sort of bringing their backstory to the viewers. No more. This is the way it's going to be done now. They’re bypassing what was once unbypassable — Fox News.”
While fellow Republican presidential contender Vivek Ramaswamy made his campaign announcement in February on Fox News with former host Tucker Carlson, other GOP candidates have used other methods.
Former President Donald Trump announced his campaign to a crowd of supporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last November, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley put out a video posted to her Twitter account in February, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) announced his candidacy at a rally held in his hometown of North Charleston, South Carolina, on Monday.
Following DeSantis’s announcement on Twitter Wednesday, he appeared on Fox News Tonight with Trey Gowdy, a move that Kelly said was insignificant.
“As you know, all that matters on TV news is who has it first. It doesn't matter that he's going to Trey Gowdy second,” Kelly said. “What matters is he’s breaking the news with Elon on Twitter. It's a significant shake-up when it comes to media and how Republican, conservative politicians see Fox News.”
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“They no longer have to kiss the ring,” Kelly added, noting that independents and conservative voters "are turning to alternative news sites” beyond major cable networks while citing a dip in Fox News’s ratings following the departure of Tucker Carlson.
DeSantis is perceived to be Trump’s sole competitive challenger, yet polls indicate that Trump is likely to win the Republican nomination.