COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is ready to make his first public look in South Carolina, a state the place votes shall be essential if he launches an anticipated 2024 presidential bid.

State Sen. Josh Kimbrell instructed The Related Press on Sunday that he would host DeSantis for an occasion on April 19 in Spartanburg, in South Carolina’s closely Republican Upstate.

DeSantis’ first public go to to South Carolina, house of the leadoff presidential main within the South, comes amid a brisk journey schedule throughout which the governor has taken his “Florida Blueprint” tour to Pennsylvania, New York and Michigan in current weeks.

With an anticipated presidential bid within the offing, the journey has opened up an avenue for DeSantis to put out a few of his coverage achievements in Florida, organising potential contrasts with potential GOP rivals, together with former President Donald Trump.

On Sunday, Kimbrell instructed the AP that he had been hoping to carry DeSantis to South Carolina for months now, arguing that politically savvy Republicans within the early voting state are accustomed to having a number of possibilities to get to know presidential candidates, in individual.

“I’ve instructed all people related together with his staff, ’You’ve bought to get right here early and sometimes,’” mentioned Kimbrell, who has already joined efforts with a political motion committee urging DeSantis to get into the race. “I’ve tried to make it clear to them that, if you wish to win, you’ve bought to get right here early.” South Carolina for months has been internet hosting GOP candidates, together with Trump, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson. There have additionally been journeys from a lot of these anticipated to affix the sphere, together with former Vice President Mike Pence. Later this week, after a swing by Iowa and New Hampshire, Sen. Tim Scott returns house to South Carolina for a summit with donors, as he mulls a bid of his personal.

Whereas this might be DeSantis’ first public South Carolina occasion, he was within the state final yr for a gubernatorial fundraiser. The occasion close to Charleston was attended by a few of Trump’s prime donors within the state.

To Kimbrell, who mentioned he agrees with Trump on coverage however not “on the best way he approached issues personally,” DeSantis is well-positioned to be a greater various to Trump, however wants to start out spending extra time in South Carolina.

“I consider that Ron DeSantis is as standard amongst my base as Trump is,” Kimbrell mentioned, of his closely GOP district. “However you may’t simply mail it in. He’s going to should press the flesh, roll his sleeves up, and get actually critical.”

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Meg Kinnard will be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP