Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president on Monday, calling the GOP White House hopeful “one of the most effective leaders” it has ever seen.
Reynolds, 64, had previously suggested that he would remain neutral through the Iowa Caucuses, the first GOP presidential nomination contest, but citing “unprecedented times,” he said Monday, “I cannot and will not sit on the sidelines any longer. “
“Not only do we need to make sure that we elect someone who can win and beat Joe Biden, we need a president who has the skills and determination to reverse the madness that we see every day,” Reynolds told DeSantis supporters at a rally in Des Moines.
“Someone who will fight for you and win for you. We need someone who will not be distracted but will remain disciplined who puts the country first and not himself. That leader is Ron DeSantis,” the Iowa governor said.
“Together, we will win Iowa,” DeSantis tweeted after receiving the Iowa 2024 gubernatorial endorsement. REUTERS
Reynolds, who was chosen to lead the Hawkeye State in 2017 after former President Trump moved to appoint his predecessor, Terry Branstad, to serve as US ambassador to China, praised the Florida governor’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, hurricanes and his family life. during his confirmation speech.
“The pressure to shut down and ‘shelter in place’ to keep our kids out of school is unbelievable, and it’s coming from every corner, even from the White House,” Reynolds said. “You know, most leaders, they are stressed under that pressure. They listen [Dr. Anthony] Fauci is not real science, but there is one man running for president who is not, Ron DeSantis.
“When the liberals and the media came after him, he stood his ground. When the Trump administration let Fauci lead their response, Ron had the courage to say no to Florida,” he added.
“Ron is focused, he is principled, he is driven by results. And simply put, the thing I like most about Ron is that he gets things done,” the Iowa governor told the crowd.
“I am very proud to stand here tonight and give him my full support and endorsement,” he said.
Reynolds called DeSantis “focused,” “principled,” and “results-driven” during his confirmation speech.AP
DeSantis, who took the stage after Reynolds, thanked the Iowa governor for his support and praised him for “engaging in the process” despite the potential blowback.
“Look, when you do that some people don’t like it and some people say this or that, but I think he understands what I understand – this country has been hit. This country is in a period of decline,” said DeSantis.
DeSantis added that Reynolds was “one of the greatest governors in the United States” and “one of the greatest governors this state has ever had.”
“Together, we will win Iowa,” the Florida governor added in a tweet.
Reynolds’ endorsement comes amid growing competition in the polls from former South Carolina governor and US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley.
Iowa’s 2024 GOP nomination contest will take place on January 15.
Trump leads DeSantis in the Hawkeye State by more than 30 points, according to the RealClearPolitics average of state polls, and DeSantis leads Haley by a 5.5-point margin.
The Trump campaign dismissed reports of impending endorsements ahead of the gubernatorial caucuses, arguing that “If one of the early state governors decides to endorse DeSantis, it will only shift the race by a net 4 percentage points in his favor.”
Trump blasted Reynolds earlier this year amid reports that he had warmed to his Florida counterpart.CRAIG LASSIG/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
“Kim Reynolds appears to have started her retirement tour early because she clearly has no ambitions for higher office,” the Trump campaign said. “President Trump is the undisputed leader of the Republican Party and that’s why he not only leads every Iowa poll by a significant margin but also beats Crooked Joe Biden in general.”
Trump blasted Reynolds earlier this year amid reports that he had warmed to his Florida counterpart.
The 77-year-old former president recalled how he should have been nice to Reynolds in the past and appeared annoyed by his refusal to endorse him as the GOP nominee for a third consecutive term.
“I opened the Governorship for Kim Reynolds, & when he fell behind, I ENDORSED him, did a big Rally, & he won. Now, he wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL.’ I didn’t invite him to the event! DeSanctus is down 45 points!” Trump wrote on Truth Social in July, using his preferred spelling of DeSantis’ name.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
