WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) will remain in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, with projections he will place second in Iowa‘s kickoff caucuses.

“They threw everything but the kitchen sink at us,” DeSantis told a crowd Monday from his caucus watch party at the Sheraton West Des Moines. “They spent almost $50 million attacking us… The media was against us — they were writing our obituary months ago. They even called the election before people even got a chance to vote.” “Because of your support, in spite of all of that they threw at us, everyone against us, we’ve got our ticket punched out of Iowa,” he said.