TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida’s top two Republicans in the state Legislature are endorsing Ron DeSantis’ still-unofficial bid for president, a move that is expected to unleash a wave of public endorsements that will help reassert the governor's sway in the state that both he and his primary competitor, former President Donald Trump, call home.
“Gov. DeSantis has a proven record of delivering on the pro-family, pro-economic ideals that not only will keep Florida free but will be of critical importance in a 2024 presidential election,” Florida House Speaker Paul Renner said. “As Gov. DeSantis makes his final decision to run for higher office, it would be my honor to endorse his candidacy for President of the United States.”
Renner’s remarks came after he and Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo attended a Tuesday news conference where DeSantis signed legislation aimed at cracking down on human trafficking.
“Gov. DeSantis is exactly the kind of leader we need for our country, and I look forward to supporting him for president,” Passidomo said.
The presiding officers in the House and Senate publicly endorsing DeSantis is expected to serve as the starting gun for a wave of endorsements from rank-and-file Florida Republican lawmakers.
It’s the public-facing byproduct of an active lobbying campaign waged by DeSantis supporters since the Florida legislative session ended in early May. That effort, led in party by state Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, a DeSantis ally, has largely been successful.
A pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down, is expected to unveil a list of all legislative endorsements later this week. The list will include a “vast majority” of Florida Republican lawmakers, according to two sources familiar with the efforts.
Beyond trying to lock up his home state Legislature, part of the DeSantis backers' strategy was to end the perception that Florida Republicans were overwhelmingly backing Trump’s campaign.
In early April, Trump secured the endorsement of 10 Republican members of the Florida congressional delegation, something that made DeSantis’ early political operation seem unprepared and outmaneuvered.
Trump’s team, led by Florida state Sen. Joe Gruters, has also been working to try to snag some legislative endorsements, but those efforts have so far turned up few results.
“Joe Gruters and the Trump campaign team is so late to the party that they keep running into walls trying to get endorsements,” a Republican lawmaker familiar with the efforts said.
Gruters is a former chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, and so far the only state-level lawmaker to publicly endorse Trump. The two have a long-standing relationship. When Gruters was chairman of the Republican Party of Sarasota County, he made Trump “Statesman of the Year” twice, in 2012 and 2015.
Gruters did not return a request seeking comment.
The Trump campaign said that DeSantis has huge sway over state lawmakers because he has the ability to sign or veto both their bills and any items they have in the state budget for projects in their districts.
“Ron DeSantis has terrorized the entire legislature with the threat of his veto pen if they don’t acquiesce to his demands,” said Steven Cheung, a Trump spokesman. “Those who he can’t control -- almost the entity of the Florida congressional delegation -- have endorsed President Trump because he’s the only candidate who can beat Joe Biden and take back the White House.”
DeSantis’ office did not return a request seeking comment. To date, no state lawmakers have suggested their endorsement was made under threat of veto.
