Ron DeSantis is making his first swing by means of the early main state of South Carolina on Wednesday as he continues to lose the endorsement battle with former President Donald Trump.
The Florida governor, who has not but introduced a presidential run regardless of each indication he intends to take action, will communicate in North Charleston and Spartanburg about his Florida Blueprint.
Visits by in style politicians to South Carolina, together with Iowa and New Hampshire, are indicative they’re weighing a presidential run.
Earlier than heading to South Carolina, DeSantis made a well-recognized cease on the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday to satisfy with lawmakers the place he as soon as served as a congressman for Florida. He will even head again to the nation’s capital on Friday for remarks on the Heritage Basis Management Summit.
In the meantime. Trump continues to rake in endorsements for his 2024 White Home run from lawmakers in Washington – together with a number of of these from the Florida Republican delegation.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is making two stops for remarks in South Carolina on Wednesday as he inches nearer towards a presidential run. Pictured: DeSantis departs an occasion Tuesday in Washington, DC
After assembly face-to-face with Texas Rep. Lance Gooden the lawmaker, who stated he had a ‘constructive assembly,’ endorsed Trump
Strolling away from his conferences Tuesday, two extra Republicans levied their endorsements for the previous president over the extremely in style governor of their state.
Reps. Brian Mast of Florida and Lance Gooden of Texas stated they’d be supporting Trump’s main run. Even after Gooden stated he had a ‘constructive assembly’ face-to-face with DeSantis on Tuesday.
This brings the entire variety of endorsements for Trump to seven out of the 20 Republican congressmen from Florida.
Florida GOP Rep. Greg Steube, who additionally endorsed Trump over DeSantis and not too long ago made headlines for a freak accident the place he fell off a ladder, stated the governor by no means reached out or replied to him throughout his time within the Home.
The congressman instructed Politico that he made a number of makes an attempt to attach with DeSantis and stated he was snubbed from with the ability to stand alongside the governor throughout an occasion on Hurricane Ian reduction.
DeSantis has earned one official endorsement from a Florida lawmaker, regardless of not but formally getting into the working. Rep. Laurel Lee is a freshman congresswoman who beforehand served as Florida’s secretary of State underneath DeSantis.
Texas Rep. Chip Roy and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie have additionally endorsed DeSantis.
Trump has to this point obtained 45 endorsements within the Home and 9 within the Senate.
Regardless of hemorrhaging endorsements to Trump, nevertheless, the governor nonetheless appears to be chugging full steam forward towards a presidential run.
Trump and DeSantis are extensively seen as the 2 front-runners for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination – although DeSantis has not but introduced a bid
Seven of the 20 Republican Home members in Florida have endorsed Trump already – this contains Reps. Brian Mast (left) and Greg Steube (proper)
The Palmetto State already has two native candidates vying for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination – former Gov. Nikki Haley, who additionally served as Trump’s Ambassador to the United Nations, and Sen. Tim Scott, who has not formally launched a bid however did announce a presidential exploratory committee earlier this month.
Regardless of this, DeSantis nonetheless comes second within the polling in South Carolina – solely being bested by Trump. One ballot, nevertheless, did present Haley solely 2 p.c behind the extensively in style Florida chief.
Trump has claimed that if DeSantis does formally launch a bid it might be ‘disloyal,’ as a result of his backing of the previous congressman in 2018 helped propel him into the workplace the place he at present serves.
The previous president has additionally taken to nicknaming and continuously referring to the Florida governor as ‘DeSanctimonious,’ and has railed in opposition to him in a number of posts on his Reality Social platform.