Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa is expected to support Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida in the Republican presidential primary on Monday, throwing his significant influence in the state behind him as he tries to make up ground against former President Donald J. Trump before the state election. caucus in January.
Approval is expected to come around the time Mr. DeSantis appears in the state, according to three people familiar with the plans.
The approval was first reported by The Des Moines Register and NBC News.
Ms. Reynolds is very popular with Republicans in her state, and she is one of the few governors with whom Mr. DeSantis has maintained real ties in recent years. The two governors aligned on issues related to, among other things, Covid policy and abortion. His interest in his candidacy has been evident for months, including from Mr. Trump, who criticized him for not getting behind him.
People who spoke with Ms. Reynolds say she experienced some frustrations with the DeSantis campaign’s failures. But she is furious with Mr. Trump, who attacked her personally twice, according to these sources.
Mr. Trump’s team has been expected for months to support Mr. DeSantis.
Mr Trump was frustrated earlier this year by Ms Reynolds’ public appearances with Mr DeSantis and said at one point: “I hate to say it, without me, you know, she wasn’t going to win, you know.” you know, right? » He later attacked her again, claiming that he had not invited her to his events.
The endorsement comes ahead of the third presidential debate Wednesday in Miami, in which Mr. DeSantis will attempt to both cozy up to Mr. Trump and separate himself from Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and former United Nations ambassador. United who tied with him in Iowa in the latest Des Moines Register/NBC News poll in the state.
The DeSantis campaign declined to comment, and a spokesperson for Ms. Reynolds did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Jason Miller, Mr. Trump’s adviser, mocked the endorsement in an emailed statement with the subject line “Kim Reynolds will support a candidate who will never be president.” “Rob DeSanctimonious will get nothing but Carly Fiorina’s rebound,” he said, referring to one of Mr. Trump’s 2016 challengers.
Ms. Reynolds is deeply protective of her state, and some close to her thought she was unlikely to support Mr. DeSantis unless his campaign showed signs of progress. The decision to endorse appears to be a sign that Ms. Reynolds believes she can make a significant difference in a vote where polls show Mr. Trump still leading by a wide margin. Historically, the Iowa caucuses have been volatile affairs with significant swings in the run-up to the vote.
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