Florida Gov. Ron DeSandis on Friday lashed out at fellow Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, claiming the former US president would try to “delegitimize the results” if he lost a state like Iowa or New Hampshire. next month.

“If Trump loses, he’s going to talk about theft … without a doubt,” DeSandis said at a campaign event in Concord, New Hampshire. Video from this event was published on social networks by the online version of Fox News.

Former US President Donald Trump is reportedly the favorite in both Iowa, where the Republican primary is being held on January 15, and New Hampshire, where it will be held a week later. In the previous period, DeSandis had intensified his pre-election gatherings in these two American states, trying to increase his percentages.

In recent interviews, Ron DeSandis has appeared adamant that Trump fairly lost the 2020 presidential election, something the Republican mogul still publicly disputes. Donald Trump has been indicted by both a federal court in Washington and a state court in Georgia for crimes related to his efforts to undermine the election process.

At Friday’s event in New Hampshire, DeSandis said Trump talked about cheating when he was defeated in the 2016 Iowa primary by Sen. Ted Cruz, something he is likely to repeat if he loses again. “I think something like this is expected, but I don’t think people will believe it,” he said.

He also accused Trump, who chooses large rallies for his speeches, of avoiding talking to voters. “When was the last time you got on stage and took questions from voters? Has he done anything like that during this (election) campaign?” DeSandis noted. “How often has he been willing to answer difficult questions?” he added.

The latest polls show Ron DeSandis trailing Donald Trump by a wide margin in Iowa, while in New Hampshire he is also trailing former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley. If the polls are confirmed, Republican Donald Trump will face Democrat Joe Biden again in the November 2024 presidential election.