Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has officially thrown her support behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in a bid to bolster his presidential campaign. The endorsement was formally announced at a rally in Des Moines on Monday night, with hopes that it will inject new momentum into DeSantis’s campaign as he faces stiff competition and seeks to establish himself as a strong alternative to frontrunner Donald Trump.
The Des Moines Register has described Reynolds’ endorsement as an “enormous win” for DeSantis, given her considerable influence among Iowa Republicans. Reynolds is expected to help DeSantis on various fronts, including participating in a meet-and-greet on Tuesday and attending a fundraiser in Miami, DeSantis’s home state, in the lead-up to the third Republican primary debate.
DeSantis expressed his admiration for Reynolds, commending her governance in Iowa as a model for others. He believes Reynolds could have a significant impact on his campaign and that any candidate running would be wise to seek her support.
In his efforts to boost his standing in Iowa, DeSantis has already traversed 87 of the state’s 99 counties. The campaign reports that over two dozen state lawmakers who endorse DeSantis are also expected to attend the rally.
However, it remains uncertain how much of an impact Reynolds’ endorsement will have, as she is currently one of the least popular governors in the United States, according to a recent Morning Consult poll, where 47 percent disapproved of her performance.
The endorsement comes in the context of Donald Trump’s strong presence in the Hawkeye State, where a recent Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll identified him as the clear frontrunner, while former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley tied with DeSantis for second place. DeSantis has experienced a three-point decrease in Iowa since the August poll results.
DeSantis has also faced the challenge of Trump securing several endorsements from Florida lawmakers who previously supported him. Trump proudly introduced these lawmakers during a recent appearance at the Florida Freedom Summit, where he highlighted that they had endorsed him some time ago.
The timing of Reynolds’ endorsement, coming just before two major gubernatorial elections in Mississippi and Kentucky, has raised some controversy. Reynolds, who currently chairs the Republican Governors Association (RGA), chose to support DeSantis on the night before the elections. These developments set the stage for an interesting and competitive phase in the ongoing race for the Republican presidential nomination.