Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds threw her support behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign at a joint event on Monday, saying that the Republican Party cannot afford to gamble on Donald Trump for a third time. Reynolds’ endorsement, which breaks with a longstanding Iowa tradition of neutrality during primaries, may provide DeSantis’ campaign with a much-needed boost in the runup to the critical Iowa primaries.
Welcoming Governor DeSantis to the state at a campaign rally in Des Moines, Iowa, Governor Reynolds declared that she was “proud to stand here tonight and give him my full support and endorsement for president of the United States of America.”
It is an honor to be endorsed by Iowa's great governor, @KimReynoldsIA.
Kim has led her state with strength and principle — and delivered big results. She knows how to win the tough fights needed to get things done.
Together, we will win Iowa. pic.twitter.com/kWRHkCwoHU
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) November 7, 2023
“I thought long and hard about making this decision, about telling Iowans and telling you where I stand,” she said. “But I also believe that as a mom and as a grandma and as an American, I could not and cannot sit on the sidelines any longer. We are living in unprecedented times. There is just too much at stake. Our country is in trouble. The world is a powder keg. And I’m here to tell you, without a doubt, that Ron DeSantis is the person that we need leading this country.”
This sentiment was echoed in a series of X posts in which Reynolds described DeSantis as “someone who gets results. Someone who knows when life begins. Someone who looks to the future. Someone who can WIN!”
We need someone who gets results. Someone who knows when life begins.
Someone who looks to the future. Someone who can WIN!
That's @RonDesantis. And I’m proud to stand here tonight and give him my full support and endorsement for President of the United States! pic.twitter.com/Ojl5TPF7Yb
— Kim Reynolds (@KimReynoldsIA) November 7, 2023
As a mother, grandmother, and American, I can't sit on the sidelines.@RonDeSantis is the person who will fight for you. Who will have the moral conviction to do what’s right & the ability to actually do what he promises.
His record proves that. He has my full endorsement! pic.twitter.com/938D6iYKCB
— Kim Reynolds (@KimReynoldsIA) November 7, 2023
Although many predicted Reynolds’ endorsement given her close friendship with the Florida Governor, the Monday night announcement nevertheless marked a rare occurrence given Iowa leadership’s tradition of staying neutral during contested primaries. The state hosts the critical Iowa Caucuses during primary cycles, and most officials prefer a hands-off approach until after the caucus has ended. The last time an Iowa official gave a pre-caucus endorsement to a presidential candidate was in 1996 when Senator Chuck Grassley supported Senator Bob Dole’s campaign.
While Reynolds had previously indicated that she would remain neutral, she claims to have changed her mind based on her belief that DeSantis is “the right man for the job.” During an interview with NBC News alongside DeSantis, she also indicated that former President Donald Trump, a one-time ally during his time in office, had been pressuring her to endorse him instead. “The last time he called to ask if I would endorse him, I said I [wouldn’t] at this point,” she said.
DeSantis, who is currently a distant second in the Republican primary race, has been banking heavily on succeeding in Iowa, and the endorsement of a well-respected and influential fellow governor may help to boost his chances. Reynolds’ announcement also comes during a particularly rough patch for the Florida governor’s campaign, with seven Florida state legislators abandoning him and flipping their support to Trump earlier this week.
A recent NBC poll also showed former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley tied with DeSantis for second place—but with a prominent endorsement behind him, DeSantis will now have something new to tout onstage at the third Republican debate on Wednesday.
In response to the endorsement, former President Trump, who leads DeSantis in Iowa by nearly 30 points, launched a lengthy series of attacks against both governors, accusing them of “disloyalty.”
“Kim Reynolds apparently has begun her retirement tour early as she clearly does not have any ambition for higher office,” an email statement to Trump’s campaign supporters said. “Earlier this year, she promised her constituents that she would remain neutral in the race, yet she has completely gone back on that promise. Regardless, her endorsement will not make any difference in this race.”
On Truth Social, Trump continued the criticism, calling DeSantis “a wounded bird falling from the sky” and Reynolds “the Nation’s most unpopular governor.”
“Two extremely disloyal people getting together is, however, a very beautiful thing to watch,” he wrote. “They can now remain loyal to each other because nobody else wants them!!!”
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