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Ron DeSantis's long-awaited entry into the 2024 race for the White House has kicked off… though the announcement on Twitter Spaces livestream was plagued by technical problems and the audio cut out before Mr DeSantis could say a word.

The malfunctioning platform meant the Florida governor's bid for the Republican presidential nomination got under way 20 minutes late.

Mr DeSantis - a relative newcomer in US politics at 44 - went on to use the event to champion his conservative credentials, his anti-lockdown stance and education reforms.

"I am running for president of the United States to lead our great American comeback," he said.

He's seen as one of the only candidates who might be able to beat former president Donald Trump to the Republican party nomination.

But who is Ron DeSantis? Newsday asked the Republican political strategist, Rina Shah, who is keen for the party to choose an alternative to Mr Trump.

"Ron DeSantis has risen at lightning speed... much has been made of who he can potentially be. Right now he's the underdog so he can only go up."

"Trump already feels threatened by DeSantis - 33 years his junior. The former president knows the American people generally don't like losers, and Donald Trump lost the 2020 election so many Republicans have decided they want someone else. All that chaos that came with Trump led to Trump-fatigue with a lot of Republican voters."

(Pic: Ron DeSantis; Credit: Reuters)

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