In a significant political development this week, a substantial majority of the Republicans in the Florida legislature have thrown their support behind Governor Ron DeSantis, rather than former President Donald Trump.
The list of endorsements, released by the pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down, revealed an overwhelming preference for DeSantis over Trump. Out of the 113 Republicans in the Florida legislature, 99 signed a document backing DeSantis. Of the remaining 14, only one has shown support for Trump.
Erin Perrine, Never Back Down’s Communications Director, praised the alliance between DeSantis and the Florida legislature. “Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida legislature have joined forces to achieve historic conservative victories for the people of Florida, turning the state into a beacon of freedom and the fastest-growing state in the nation,” Perrine said. “The broad support from legislators in his home state is a testament to DeSantis’s successful and effective leadership, which could serve as a model for the entire nation. It’s clear to Floridians that Ron DeSantis is the fresh face of conservatism that America needs, and they believe he has what it takes to triumph over Joe Biden in 2024.”
However, this show of support for DeSantis over Trump has not gone unnoticed by the Trump camp. They countered with a claim that DeSantis has been “terrorizing” the Florida legislature into endorsing him by threatening to veto legislation. Interestingly, they have not specified any particular piece of legislation that DeSantis allegedly threatened to veto.
Matt Wolking, Strategic Communications Director for Never Back Down and a senior member of the 2020 Trump campaign, swiftly responded to these accusations against DeSantis. Wolking stated, “There is no evidence to support this false accusation. It is a baseless claim contrived by Trump staffers, who are now resorting to spreading fake news about Ron DeSantis to explain the wave of nearly 200 endorsements from Iowa, New Hampshire, and Florida for the governor in just the last few days.”
An official from DeSantis’s political operation reflected on these endorsements, stating: “Ron DeSantis’s support among Republicans in the Florida legislature is nearly universal. These lawmakers have partnered with the governor to pass the most vigorous conservative agenda in the history of the state, propelling Florida to the top of the rankings on every key metric.”
This comment is an apparent nod to Trump’s statement last month when he claimed that his “support is almost universal in Florida.”
