Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) is predicted to endorse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president at a rally Monday, a transfer which may assist DeSantis in a crucial early nominating state.
The endorsement was first reported by NBC Information. Since October, the DeSantis marketing campaign has been focusing the majority of its assets on Iowa, the place it believes it has one of the best shot of retaining Trump from operating away with the nomination.
It’s an about-face for Reynolds, a preferred red-state governor who beforehand mentioned she would keep impartial within the presidential main, given her place of affect within the state that hosts the first-in-the-nation GOP caucuses. That’s why Iowa governors hardly ever endorse in presidential primaries.
It’s additionally a political threat for Reynolds, who may anger Trump’s MAGA base by placing her political inventory in DeSantis, a distant second for the nomination.
However Reynolds had supplied clues she was leaning towards ultimately backing DeSantis, showing at occasions with him and serving to him marketing campaign throughout the state ― all whereas Trump seethed. Trump accused Reynolds of unfairly supporting DeSantis though Trump had beforehand backed her for governor, sparking what gave the impression to be a one-sided feud between Reynolds and Trump.
Trump’s marketing campaign launched a scathing assertion following the NBC report, citing a ballot it claims exhibits that Reynolds’ endorsement would make no distinction within the race. The marketing campaign additionally took credit score for serving to Reynolds develop into governor in 2018. Representatives for Reynolds and DeSantis didn’t reply to requests for remark.
“Earlier this 12 months, she promised her constituents that she would stay impartial within the race, but she has fully gone again on that promise,” Trump’s marketing campaign wrote. “President Trump is the undisputed chief of the Republican Get together and that’s why he not solely leads each single Iowa ballot by important margins but in addition beats Crooked Joe Biden within the basic.”
Trump leads DeSantis in Iowa, almost 48% to 18%, per FiveThirtyEight. That’s barely higher than DeSantis’ 14% polling common nationally, however not sufficient to dramatically change the trajectory of the race two months from the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses.
DeSantis has showered Reynolds with reward, calling her one of many nation’s high public servants and saying that he would think about her as his operating mate.
