Supporters of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) shot back at the mounting endorsements for former President Donald Trump with an endorsement from one member of the Florida congressional delegation — Rep. Laurel Lee (R) — as Trump continues to garner two more.
The pro-DeSantis Never Back Down PAC announced a DeSantis 2024 endorsement from Lee.
Laurel Lee speaks at pre-legislative news conference on Tuesday October 29, 2019, in Tallahassee, Florida. (AP Photo/Steve Cannon)
“As Ron DeSantis’s Secretary of State, I had the honor of witnessing firsthand his unparalleled leadership under pressure, his character, and his commitment to core conservative principles,” she wrote in the statement.
“Our country is in crisis, and it is time Americans learn what Floridians already know: Ron DeSantis’s conservative principles, proven track record, and his commitment to our country are exactly what we need in a leader,” she wrote.
“It was my honor to serve in his administration and it is my honor today to endorse him for President of the United States,” she added:
🚨 Florida Congresswoman Laurel Lee Endorse Governor DeSantis for President 🚨 pic.twitter.com/AgBXgEV39J
— Erin Perrine (@ErinMPerrine) April 18, 2023
That endorsement for DeSantis represents the first from the Florida congressional delegation in his favor, as Trump has received support from Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz (R), freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R), Rep. Cory Mills (R), and Rep Byron Donalds (R). On Monday, Rep. Greg Steube (R) offered his support for Trump as well.
“We need to right all the wrongs that have happened under this administration, fix the things that happen in Afghanistan, support our military and our veterans, and do the things that the America First agenda stands for, and that is one person, Donald Trump,” Steube said, noting that Trump is “widely supported in my district” and “widely supported in Florida.”
“I’m honored to add my endorsement to the long list of endorsements for President Trump,” the congressman said:
BREAKING: Florida Congressman @gregsteube endorses Donald Trump for President!
He joins other America First patriots from Florida like @mattgaetz, @ByronDonalds, @CoryMillsFL and @realannapaulina on team #MAGA. pic.twitter.com/HeiwWYF8sS
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) April 18, 2023
Two others have since followed — Rep. John Rutherford (R) and Rep. Brian Mast (R).
“Today, I am proud to endorse my friend, President Donald J. Trump,” Rutherford stated. “Under President Trump’s leadership, America was more safe, more secure, and more prosperous, and as the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump will Make America Great Again!”
— John Rutherford (@JRutherfordFL) April 18, 2023
CNN’s Melanie Zanona also reported a forthcoming Mast endorsement for Trump.
“NEWS: Rep. Brian Mast tells me he plans to endorse Donald Trump for president, becoming the 7th House Republican from Florida to do so. Mast also says he’ll be chairing ‘Veterans for Trump.’ Another key pick-up for Trump, who has been courting support from the FL delegation,” she wrote:
NEWS: Rep. Brian Mast tells me he plans to endorse Donald Trump for president, becoming the 7th House Republican from Florida to do so. Mast also says he’ll be chairing “Veterans for Trump.”
Another key pick-up for Trump, who has been courting support from the FL delegation.
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) April 18, 2023
The mounting endorsements come as Trump continues to stand as a clear leader in the polls.
“Well, I’m honored,” Trump said of his frontrunner status in an exclusive interview with Breitbart News Bureau Chief Matthew Boyle.
As Breitbart News reported:
Trump told Breitbart News that the recent stream of endorsements — this interview came right after the Budd endorsement and just before the Hagerty endorsement — is a sign the party is unifying quickly behind his 2024 campaign as other actual or possible contenders struggle to find their footing.
“I think so. I think the party is very unified,” Trump said. “I also think they’re looking at the polls now and they’re saying, ‘wow, that’s impressive.’ But we’re leading by so much and they’re seeing that. I think people look back to those four years we had — we had an incredible four years then we got hit by the COVID situation, the gift from China, which was a terrible, terrible thing to have to go through that. But we did a great job with it, rebuilt the economy, gave over a stock market that was higher than it was just pre-COVID — pretty amazing. People look back to the times of especially that first two and a half years prior to the COVID coming — the China virus as I call it because that’s what it was. There’s never been anything like it in the history of our country.”
“We can do that again, and I think we can actually do it even better again,” Trump added.