Florida Congressman Greg Steube is the latest Republican to snub Ron DeSantis as the state’s governor contemplates jumping into the race for president.
Speaking with Newsmax, Congressman Steube announced his endorsement of frontrunner President Donald Trump and lamented the country’s trajectory under President Joe Biden. He added that only Trump can turn things around, reports Breitbart:
“He’s the only person that can reverse on day one, all these disastrous policies of the Biden administration. 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 continued, noting that Trump is “widely supported in my district” and “widely supported in Florida.”
The Congressman’s support of Trump represents another negative development for Governor DeSantis, who has yet to secure a single endorsement from Florida’s Republican congressional delegation.
The move surely sends a signal to national Republicans that the former president, who hasn’t been shy about criticizing those he deems insufficiently loyal, is well-positioned to capture the party’s nomination for president next year.
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
Should he throw his hat in the ring, the Florida governor will have to balance taking on President Trump with keeping at bay the other Republican contenders fighting for space in the burgeoning field. A poll of Republican voters last month found that 72% believe the former president has left a positive impact on the GOP.
Congressman Steube is the fifth Florida Republican to announce his endorsement of Trump following Reps. Matt Gaetz, Cory Mills, Byron Donalds, and Anna Paulina Luna. Governor DeSantis’s political team has reached out to at least six Florida congressmen in the past week to try and stanch the flow of support away from his potential campaign for president.
