The DeSantis campaign announced they picked up ten new endorsements from South Carolina state legislators and community leaders who switched their support from Tim Scott to Ron DeSantis for president.
"Ron DeSantis is the leader we need for this exact moment. He not only is the only candidate who I know can win, but he will be the president who will follow through on his promises to reverse the decline of our country,” State Representative Tom Hartnett, Jr. said.
Gov. DeSantis’ total of elected official endorsements in the Palmetto State now stands at 68, the most publicly announced by any presidential campaign.
DeSantis has not picked up the Congressional endorsements that former president Donald Trump has, but he boasts over 330 state-level endorsements, more than any other candidate in the race. This indicates strong grassroots support building for DeSantis in spite of a daily onslaught of polls showing Trump beating him.
Earlier this week, the DeSantis campaign released a new 30-second television ad highlighting Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds’ own words about her historic support for Ron DeSantis. Reynolds is the first sitting Iowa governor to endorse in a contested Republican presidential primary since 1996.
“We need someone who puts this country first and not himself. Ron DeSantis is the person that we need leading this country," said Reynolds who will join DeSantis tomorrow at the opening of his Des Moines campaign office. "He is probably the most effective leader that I know. I am so proud to give him my full support and endorsement.”
Last week DeSantis added 18 state and local endorsements in New Hampshire, including state representatives Joe Guthrie (R-Hampstead), Travis O’Hara (R-Belmont), and Walter “Terry” Spilsbury (R-Charlestown). DeSantis has now earned the endorsements of 65 state legislators and a total of 100 state and local endorsements in the Granite State.
"Ron DeSantis is a tested fiscal conservative, exactly what our country needs at this critical time. Evidence of his responsible leadership is clear: in Florida, he reduced regulation, kept spending and taxes low, and retired 25% of state debt. To ensure that fiscal responsibility remains the New Hampshire way, I ran for public office; and, to ensure this type of leadership at the federal government also, I'm proud to endorse Ron DeSantis for President," said Rep. Spilsbury.
After last week's debate in which DeSantis was seen as the winner, the campaign announced a dozen additional endorsements from state legislators across the country. This was followed by an unforced error by Nikki Haley in which she promised to force social media users to use their real names, which could lead to DeSantis taking the number two spot to Trump making it a two man race. DeSantis blasted Haley's statements as "dangerous and unconstitutional'.
“Governor Ron DeSantis is the future of the Republican Party," said Minnesota State Representative Elliot Engen. "As a State Representative in a purple state, I know Governor DeSantis will provide the leadership and support our party needs to win across America without sacrificing bold, conservative policy.”
DeSantis is holding campaign events in Iowa today and will participate in The Family Leader's Thanksgiving Presidential Forum this afternoon with fellow candidates Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy. Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel tried to throw cold water on the event threatening to punish any candidate who attended, trying to classify it as a debate.
"It has come to the attention of the RNC Counsel’s Office that several Republican presidential candidates have been invited to participate in an open-press event in Iowa in November at which they would ‘gather around the table to have a moderated, friendly, and open discussion about the issues.’ In other words, a debate," the RNC Counsel's Office wrote in the letter, which was obtained by Fox News.
DeSantis accused the RNC of doing Trump's "bidding" by trying to threaten candidates who attend the forum.
"I'm going to be there at The Family Leader. I think it's an important part of this process," DeSantis wrote in a post to X on Saturday. "There’s no way that should cause the RNC to penalize any candidate. I'll be here no matter what happens."
While DeSantis has picked up support from elected officials in South Carolina, voters appear to be supporting former President Trump and former Ambassador Nikki Haley in the latest public opinion polls, as 'America's Governor" is currently trailing both President Trump and Ambassador Haley. Trump has increased his poll lead to 35 percentage points over Haley.
