'I'm not a number 2 guy': Ron DeSantis says he WON'T be Donald Trump's running mate

Ron DeSantis has ruled out being Donald Trump's running mate, insisting that he was 'not a number two guy'.

The Florida governor was in Wisconsin on Tuesday, and spoke briefly to a local news podcast, Wisconsin Right Now.

He was asked if he would consider being Trump's vice president.

'I don't think so,' he said.

'I'm not a number two guy. I think I'm a leader.

'Governor of Florida: I've been able to accomplish a lot. I think I could probably do more staying there than being VP, which doesn't really have any authority.'

Ron DeSantis, pictured on June 6, has ruled out being Donald Trump's running mate

Trump and DeSantis are seen together in November 2019. The pair are now competing for the Republican nomination, with DeSantis trailing by a wide margin

The Trump campaign reacted with scorn to DeSantis's remarks.

'Ron DeSantis isn't anybody's guy. He's not 'the guy.' He's just 'a guy,'' said Steven Cheung.

'Ron is just there, sullen and sad, because his numbers are as tiny as him.'

DeSantis is currently trailing Trump by a significant margin.

His 77-year-old rival is polling at 49.8 percent among Republican primary voters, while DeSantis himself is at 21 percent.

The Florida governor - once seen as a rising star - has been dogged by claims he's performed poorly on the campaign trail, and that he's unable to connect with voters. 

DeSantis, 44, was asked by the podcast hosts who he was considering for his running mate, but he said the question was premature.

'Who do you guys recommend?' he asked.

'I'm taking it one step at a time, and I think that's something we'll evaluate as time goes on.

'I think it's a little presumptuous to be doing it at this stage.

'I'm here to win the early primaries, and that's what we've got to do first.'

A campaign yard sign featuring Republican presidential candidates Trump and DeSantis stands in a front yard in Racine, Wisconsin, on June 27

Asked if he would consider Joe Biden's Democratic rival RFK as a running mate, DeSantis said that he and the notorious anti-vaxxer 'worked together on Fauci', but he felt they disagreed on too much to be serious political partners.

'I think there are issues on which we can align,' he said.

'But on the bulk of issues I think he's a liberal Democrat, so I'm going to choose somebody conservative.'

DeSantis did confirm he would support the eventual Republican nominee, even if it's Trump.

To participate in the first Republican presidential debate on August 23, candidates must pledge to support the eventual nominee, whoever that is.

Trump has not said whether he will sign the pledge.

Nikki Haley and Tim Scott have said they will sign, but Mike Pence, Chris Christie and Vivek Ramaswamy have all declined to give a straight answer.