The 2024 presidential election is fast looming and, at this point, even the blind can see that there’s quite a bit at stake. However, before this monumental and potentially gravity-defying decision is presented to the good people of America, primary elections have to first take place.

If the United States of America is in fact a duopoly at the national level, then there can be no doubt that the Republican Party is a very important side of that coin. Whether in or out of office, Republican presidential candidates have historically always had a tendency to alter the course of the country’s trajectory. The implication of which is that it’s imperative that the GOP make the right call when it comes to selecting who will be the party’s flag bearer in the coming race.

While it would be more than foolish to outrightly discount him, let’s leave former President Donald Trump and his antics to one side for a moment. In doing so, this would mean that the Republican Party is faced with making a choice between Gov. Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley.

Do these two candidates make a compelling case for why they should lead the charge for the GOP come November 2024? Yes, they most certainly do.

However, who is best fit to bell the cat of these two candidates?

The answer to that is undoubtedly DeSantis.

Because, it’s not just about winning. And, let’s face it, Ron DeSantis will win the presidential elections should he make it through the primaries. Rather, it’s about espousing the very heart and soul of what it means to be a republican in this day and age. It needs to be said that, at this point, things have progressed far beyond simply ensuring that you put a republican in the White House.

But what exactly will the GOP president do? THAT’S what matters.

And, in the few short years since Ron DeSantis made his name known as the governor of Florida, this man has shown that he’s a person of impeccable character that bleeds red, white, and blue.

Whether the current leadership of the nation has a clear vision and mission for the country is a matter that’s subject to intense debate. However, what is beyond doubt at this point is that, moving forward, the next president of the United States of America must have their priorities right. Furthermore, the argument must be made that, at this time, it MUST be an America-first agenda.

Let’s put this in perspective.

Haley has always been sympathetic to the plight of Ukraine. This is perfectly understandable as that country was brutally drawn into conflict that it didn’t provoke in any rational manner. That being said, the brutal truth is that there has to be a limit to how far America is willing to bend in service to Ukraine. So far, one of the loudest voices articulately echoing this sentiment is none other than Ron DeSantis.

In his words, “They will not tell you when they’ve achieved their goal, and this (the Russia-Ukraine war) is going to go on maybe hundreds of billions more into the future. She (Haley) cares more about Ukraine’s border than she does about our own southern border.”

And, let’s be frank, the man’s got a point. We’ve seen what meddling in the affairs of other countries can result in. Yet, it seems that we’ve repeatedly refused to learn from these past mistakes. All of this is why someone with a sensible and practical outlook on foreign policy is so critical.

So far, America has given Ukraine more than $75 billion in both cash and equipment. This at a time when there is so much at home that needs to be attended to with urgency. With Nikki Haley as president, there is every reason to believe that our precious funds will keep getting sent outside the country even more heavily.

But there’s more.

The Republican Party has deep conservative roots, and for good reason too. This is because it’s that kind of world view that’s necessary not just to sustain a nation but to ensure that it also thrives. Again, Haley does her best here. But observing her actions here might make you feel like they are somewhat contrived. Sometimes, it almost feels like she’s simply pandering to the most popular opinion at the time and nothing more.

However, whether it’s the right to life or school choice, you don’t need to think about it to know where DeSantis stands. He’s always at the front of these highly controversial issues, pushing to make sure that the truest American values are preserved.

Ron DeSantis isn’t by any means a saint. His stint in office so far has shown us that the man isn’t without his failings. However, at the end of the day, he’s as straight as an arrow. He embodies what every true republican and American should be. But most importantly, there’s no guile to this man, something that can’t be said of Haley.

Even before entering politics, DeSantis lived his life in service of his country, and that’s the true republican ideal. It’s what’ll always make him the better choice for a party committed to giving America nothing short of the best.