Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is slated to become the first Republican to formally declare his candidacy for the South Carolina GOP presidential primary during a visit next week. The governor will submit the required paperwork at the state Republican Party headquarters in Columbia on Tuesday.

This filing marks DeSantis' third campaign trip to South Carolina, a crucial early primary state where Republican hopefuls have been actively campaigning for over a year. He's scheduled to make a stop in Tega Cay on Monday before heading to Columbia. Following the official filing, DeSantis will unveil a new policy initiative, the details of which are yet to be announced. This will be his second policy rollout, following his immigration proposals presented in June, which included ending birthright citizenship and completing the border wall.

This South Carolina visit follows a GOP gathering in Iowa, where DeSantis and other candidates, excluding former President Trump, participated in the Family Leadership Summit. This event is one of many leading up to the Iowa caucuses, as voters begin to weigh their options and candidates strive to gain support to challenge Trump's current lead.

South Carolina's primary is scheduled for February 24th. The state, home to two other 2024 GOP contenders, former Governor Nikki Haley and Senator Tim Scott, is traditionally a significant player in Republican presidential races and has been a stronghold for Trump in past elections.

In addition to his South Carolina trip, DeSantis will also meet with donors in Southampton, New York, next week. According to reports, he plans to address concerns about his campaign's viability and assure donors that he's focused on a "long game" strategy against Trump, emphasizing that current poll numbers should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness.

The New York Republican congressional delegation has largely refrained from endorsing either Trump or DeSantis. A recent DeSantis fundraiser in Rockland County encountered some organizational challenges, with the venue being changed from Republican Rep. Mike Lawler's district, a key Democrat target in 2024.