The soft launch of Ron DeSantis’s presidential campaign appears to be stuttering further after a report emerged claiming Florida’s Republican governor was calling members of the state’s congressional delegation to persuade them to stop endorsing Donald Trump.
DeSantis has yet to formally declare his pursuit of his party’s 2024 nomination, but has seen an erosion in recent weeks of his formerly strong support, with Trump pulling further ahead in polling.
According to NBC News, DeSantis is irked that he has no endorsements, while the former president has already picked up four from Republican Florida Congress members.
Operatives for DeSantis have been calling others to beg them to back off, the network said, with four of six congressmen and women its journalists spoke to confirming they had received an approach.
Those who have publicly declared their backing for Trump are Matt Gaetz, Anna Paulina Luna and Cory Mills, all vocal supporters, and, surprisingly according to NBC, Byron Donalds, a DeSantis ally.
“There is clearly some angst from the DeSantis camp that so many members of the state’s congressional delegation are throwing their support behind Trump,” a consultant for one of the contacted Congress members told NBC on condition of anonymity.
“Gaetz going with Trump is one thing, but Byron’s endorsement of the former president undoubtedly rattled some cages.”
According to the report, the effort is being led by Ryan Tyson, a longtime DeSantis acolyte, who has scheduled direct calls between the delegation and the governor. The six who have been asked to delay their endorsements, NBC said, are Aaron Bean, Vern Buchanan, Kat Cammack, Mario Diaz-Balart, Laurel Lee and Greg Steube.
DeSantis has become increasingly authoritarian in his second term as Florida governor after winning a landslide re-election in November. Analysts say his clampdowns on immigration, and LBGTQ+ and voting rights, are designed to appeal to Trump’s base of voters.
