Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds confirmed the rumors from over the weekend and officially endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for president, drawing the ire of rival Donald Trump.
Reynolds made the announcement Monday in a joint interview with DeSantis, taking a direct shot at President Joe Biden.
‘I cannot believe how it has declined over just the short time under President Biden. And we’re resilient. We’ll be able to come back from this. But if we don’t win this next election, we’re done.’
However, she also had harsh words for the electability of former ally and former President Trump.
‘I don’t think he can win,’ she said.
Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds confirmed the rumors from over the weekend and officially endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for president, drawing the ire of rival Donald Trump
Reynolds very much believes in DeSantis’ electability despite trailing in most primary polls by double digits.
‘I believe he’s the candidate that can win,’ she told the Des Moines Register.
‘And we also not only need somebody that can win, but we need somebody that has the skill and the resolve, which he clearly does, to reverse the madness that we see happening across this country.’
DeSantis sees the endorsement of Reynolds as a coup he hopes will take him past Trump by the time voters head to the polls
Trump’s campaign – who had previously snubbed a Reynolds-hosted event where she interviewed the candidates – quickly criticized her on Sunday.
‘Kim Reynolds apparently has begun her retirement tour early as she clearly does not have any ambition for higher office,’ the Trump campaign said in an emailed statement.
‘Earlier this year, she promised her constituents that she would remain neutral in the race, yet she has completely gone back on that promise. Regardless, her endorsement will not make any difference in this race.’
Trump also took to his Truth Social account to rip into Reynolds.
Reynolds made the announcement Monday in a joint interview with DeSantis, taking a direct shot at President Joe Biden
Reynolds very much believes in DeSantis’ electability despite trailing in most primary polls by double digits
Trump has been heavily critical of Reynolds’ decision to endorse DeSantis
‘If and when Kim Reynolds of Iowa endorses Ron DeSanctimonious, who is absolutely dying in the polls both in Iowa and Nationwide, it will be the end of her political career in that MAGA would never support her again, just as MAGA will never support DeSanctimonious again,’ he wrote.
‘Two extremely disloyal people getting together is, however, a very beautiful thing to watch. They can now remain loyal to each other because nobody else wants them!!!’
He wrote in another Truth post that Reynolds had promised him he would remain neutral throughout the primary.
‘She wanted to campaign with everyone. I told her that I should have ‘remained neutral’ when she asked me to help her get elected, and that I didn’t want or need her to campaign with me. I am now 41+Points up in Iowa!’
Reynolds is well-liked within the GOP and will break with long-standing Iowa tradition to endorse DeSantis.
Iowa’s governor typically stays neutral before the caucuses that kick off the Republicans’ nomination calendar in January.
Trump’s campaign – who had previously snubbed a Reynolds-hosted event where she interviewed the candidates – quickly criticized her on Sunday. Pictured: Trump with Reynolds at a 2020 event
She is expected to make the official announcement Monday.
Reynolds had introduced DeSantis at political events in Iowa and appeared with Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis – without publicly declaring her support.
But the governor often noted her shared policy priorities and accomplishments, including a bill banning abortion at six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.
Reynolds, who is in her second term, had left open the possibility of lending her support to a candidate in the January 15 caucuses.
She had introduced Trump at an event in March. But Trump has accused her of disloyalty for weighing an endorsement before the caucuses and tried to take credit for her winning the governorship.
Trump is the heavy favorite to win in Iowa. DeSantis is competing with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to emerge in the leadoff contest, just ten weeks away, as a viable alternative to Trump.
A month ago, DeSantis sent about 20 of his Tallahassee-based campaign headquarters staff to Iowa.
Reynolds had introduced Trump at an event in March. But Trump has accused her of disloyalty for weighing an endorsement before the caucuses and tried to take credit for her winning the governorship
DeSantis has pinned his chances of emerging as an alternative to Trump alternative squarely on Iowa
The super political action committee supporting him, Never Back Down, has had roughly two dozen staff reaching out to would-be caucus participants since the summer.
On Friday, DeSantis spoke to about 50 GOP activists at an early-afternoon stop in Denison, the heart of Republican-heavy Crawford County.
It was the 86th Iowa county he’s visited, on a mission to visit each of its 99, and the last puzzle piece in the bloc of conservative western Iowa.
Reynolds is popular within the party in part for signing a school choice bill and strict abortion ban this year.