Billionaire mega-donor Peter Thiel says he will support DESANTIS in 2024 if he is the GOP nominee

Peter Thiel said he would support Florida Governor Ron DeSantis if he makes it to the 2024 general election.

DeSantis has not yet announced a bid for the White House in 2024, but is expected to do so in the coming months as he continues to traverse the country on his book tour and share his “Florida Blueprint” with America.

However, Thiel warned DeSantis not to lean too much on fighting left-wing “woke-ism.”

People close to Thiel told Reuters last month that the billionaire Republican mega-donor had no intention of wading into the waters of the 2024 election.

However, his comments this week contradict that.

The individuals also noted that Thiel is becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the shift in the party to focus on attacking “woke” ideology.

“I think DeSantis would be a great president if he’s the Republican nominee,” Thiel said this week on the Honesty with Bari Weiss podcast. “I will strongly support him in 2024.

“But I do worry that focusing on the awakening issue as ground zero isn’t enough,” he added. ‘The focus on identity politics, on awake religion, is probably a distraction from the stagnation. It distracts from the economy.’

It may be difficult for Florida’s governor to heed the warning as he has made the fight against Wake a cornerstone of his agenda.

DeSantis has said repeatedly since his second inauguration earlier this year that “Florida is where Waked goes to die.”

He has also waged a war with Walt Disney Co. about what he calls the “corporate kingdom” and his pursuit of an awake agenda.

Like many Republicans, DeSantis opposes companies that engage in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investments. On the contrary, conservatives want companies and corporations not to be able to use their money, power and vote to influence what they believe should be controlled by politicians.

The Sunshine State has advanced one of the most conservative agendas in the nation with its Republican legislature holding a vast majority.

This week Florida passed a bill that has been highly criticized by liberals. It expands the Parental Bill of Rights by now banning classroom teaching on sexual orientation and gender identity through 8th grade. It also prohibits teachers from using transgender students’ preferred pronouns and makes it easier for people to pick up books from school shelves.

Thiel warned DeSantis not to focus too much on his fight against “woke-ism” — a feat that could prove difficult for the governor who has made going after the left a cornerstone of his agenda

Thiel supported Trump financially during his 2016 presidential run and was even a delegate during the first White House bid.

DeSantis has so far emerged as the only candidate who could give Trump a fight in 2024. No other announced or potential candidate has been able to earn double-digit support in hypothetical primaries.

In addition to Trump, the candidates announced so far include former South Carolina governor and ex-UN ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, biotech multimillionaire Vivek Ramaswamy and conservative radio host Larry Elder.

Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina created a presidential exploratory committee last month and will “make a major announcement” on May 22 in Charleston.