DeSantis event draws mix of GOP lawmakers

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Tuesday evening event in D.C. drew a mix of Republican lawmakers curious to hear from the potential presidential candidate. 

Several House Republicans and two GOP senators, including Utah’s Mike Lee and Texas’ John Cornyn, attended the event. The attendees included lawmakers who have not yet weighed in on the GOP presidential primary.

GOP Reps. Chip Roy of Texas and Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who co-hosted the event and have endorsed DeSantis, said the confab was a chance for lawmakers who did not serve with DeSantis in Congress to get to know him.

"People are looking for somebody different and they just want to get to meet the man,” Massie told NBC News head of the Tuesday event.

But it’s not clear how many were swayed by the meet and greet.

“To me, the most important thing in the 2024 presidential primary is for Republicans to nominate somebody who can win,” Cornyn told NBC News on Wednesday, later adding, “I wish [DeSantis] well. I’m not endorsing anybody in particular.”

After having a “positive meeting” with DeSantis, Texas GOP Rep. Lance Gooden announced Wednesday he was backing Trump.

The group of Republicans who huddled with DeSantis included those from a range of ideologies, from more small-government conservative lawmakers like Colorado’s Ken Buck, to the more moderate Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents a district President Biden would have won in 2020 had the new congressional lines been in place. 

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Lee, Massie and Roy hosted the event along with Wisconsin Rep. Mike Gallagher, and Illinois Rep. Darin LaHood of Illinois.

In addition to Massie and Roy, Florida Rep. Laurel Lee has also endorsed DeSantis for president, although he has not yet launched a campaign. Lee appeared to be one of the only Florida lawmakers to attend DeSantis’ Wednesday night event.

LaHood said on Meet the Press NOW Wednesday that he got to know DeSantis during his time in Congress, but stopped short of saying he should be the party’s standard bearer. 

“I think he is one of the strongest conservative leaders we have in this country,” LaHood said. “I frankly look at what he’s done in Florida, one of the best economies in the country, low crime rate — I’m impressed [with] what he’s done there.”

 Trump has already picked up endorsements from seven Florida House members, and he has more congressional endorsements than any current or potential GOP candidate, with at least 44 House members — nearly 20% of the conference — and nine senators backing his campaign. Only one member of Congress, South Carolina Rep. Ralph Norman, has endorsed former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.