TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — With an open presidential primary coming in 2028, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is launching an offensive to win back supporters of the Republican leader whom he dared to challenge in the last election. And he’s doing so by latching onto President Donald Trump’s most prominent issue — immigration.

In a sign DeSantis was not proving a threat to Trump, the Republican Party of Florida voted in September 2023 not to require participants in the state's 2024 presidential primary to pledge to support the eventual nominee, which ensured Trump would not have to pledge support to DeSantis when the two were locked in a bitter campaign.

A push by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to crack down on ballot initiatives could have unforeseen consequences for the business interests of his state’s most prominent resident: President Donald Trump.

More than 100 people gathered at the Florida Capitol on Monday to protest the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

About 200 people gathered at the State House in Concord holding signs that read “Arrest Musk,” “Resist,” and “Trump is a threat to our national security.”