INDIANOLA, Iowa — Just one day out from the caucuses, former President Donald Trump and former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley are basking in some big-ticket endorsements.
During Trump’s address to a jammed-packed room in Simpson College’s Kent Campus Center Sunday, he surprised attendees with North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, a former 2024 foe.
“I’m here to do something that none of the other presidential primary candidates have done, and that’s endorse Donald J. Trump for the president of the United States of America,” Burgum proclaimed to the excited crowd.
“I’ve seen President Trump and what he’s been able to do I’ve seen it as a business leader and I’ve seen it as a governor,” he added. “I’ve seen the difference that President Trump can make.”
Burgum, a billionaire businessman, dropped out of the 2024 GOP primary early last month.
Not long after Burgum’s surprise endorsement, another former rival of Trump threw his weight behind the former president as well — Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) albeit in a more subtle fashion.
Rubio backed Trump over Ron DeSantis — governor of his home state of Florida — whom he left unmentioned in an endorsement from social media.
“When Trump was in [the White House] I achieved major policies I had worked on for years (like expanded Child Tax Credit & tough sanctions on regime in Cuba & Venezuela) because we had a President who didn’t cave to special interests or let bureaucrats block us,” Rubio posted on X.
“I support Trump because that kind of leadership is the ONLY way we will get the extraordinary actions needed to fix the disaster Biden has created. It’s time to get on with the work of beating Biden & saving America!”
Rubio had battled fiercely with Trump in the 2016 Republican primary cycle, with the two trading nicknames and verbal firebombs on the campaign trail.
He took time to come around on Trump, who had urged him to safeguard his Senate seat in 2016 after their presidential primary tussle. Fellow Florida Sen. Rick Scott endorsed Trump last November.
On Sunday, Haley also clinched a high-profile endorsement with former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan giving his official stamp of approval.
“What this race is all about is to try to nominate the strongest possible nominee for November,” Hogan told CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “I’m convinced the momentum is with Nikki Haley.”
Hogan, who was term-limited as governor and left office in January 2023, had emerged as one of the most outspoken Republicans against Trump.
His name had once been dangled as a possible contender for the 2024 GOP nomination, but he declined to throw his hat in the ring. Hogan has also been tossed around as a third-party contender, something he’s downplayed.
Trump is heading into the Iowa Caucus on Monday as the perceived frontrunner, with a huge edge, according to polls.
After Iowa, the GOP primary will head to New Hampshire for an election on Jan. 23.