Ebo Entsuah drops out of race to succeed Dennis Baxley

Ebo Entsuah. Image via Facebook

Former Clermont City Council member Ebo Entsuah is dropping out of the race to succeed state Sen. Dennis Baxley.

Instead, the Republican will endorse state Rep. Keith Truenow, who recently won the support of the Florida Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee.

“Thank you to everyone who supported my campaign throughout this race,” Entsuah posted on X. “After prayerful consideration, I am withdrawing from the race and extending my support to Keith Truenow and I encourage all my supporters to as well. Thank you again for your support.”

Entsuah announced he would seek the open seat in Senate District 13 in April 2023, more than a year ago. Twice elected in Clermont, he boasted one strong political connection to Tallahassee as a former congressional aide to Gov. Ron DeSantis.

However, he ultimately lagged in fundraising behind Truenow, finishing a second term in the Florida House as he seeks a promotion to the upper chamber. Baxley backs him as his favored successor.

Truenow has raised the most outside funding for any candidate’s race through March, with more than $222,000 in his campaign account. Entsuah, in comparison, raised just under $58,000.

Meanwhile, self-funder Bowen Kou, a Winter Garden grocery mogul, has put almost $1.4 million out of pocket into the race as he seeks the Republican nomination.

Another candidate, C.J. Blancett, has reported less than $3,000 in fundraising.

That already left Entsuah in a difficult place as he ranked third in cash on hand behind Truenow or Kou.

But the death knell for his candidacy appeared this week when future Senate President Ben Albritton announced that Senate Republicans’ political arm wanted Truenow as the nominee.

“As a farmer, a business owner and a Veteran of the United States Air Force, Keith Truenow knows firsthand the challenges we face in the fight to keep Florida free and full of opportunity,” Albritton said.

About 24 hours later, Entsuah pulled out of the race.