A growing number of high-profile Republicans are offering their support to former President Donald Trump for the 2024 nomination, reversing course from just a few months ago when it appeared the party was ready to turn to someone such as Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) to lead the party.
After a lackluster performance in the midterm elections, several Republican leaders looked to issues such as candidate quality and Trump’s influence as reasons the party was unable to secure control of the Senate or gain a larger majority in the House. At the time, it seemed as if party leaders were ready to offer their endorsements elsewhere.
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Since then, Trump has faced several investigations and even an indictment of 34 criminal charges in New York. And yet, Republicans are flocking back to his corner, with a large number of GOP lawmakers publicly backing the former president in recent weeks — dealing a blow to DeSantis’s presidential hopes before he even launches a bid.
At least 45 House members have endorsed Trump for the GOP nomination compared to just three for DeSantis. Among those, seven Republican House members from DeSantis’s home turf in Florida have offered their support to Trump over the state’s governor.
Those include:
DeSantis has ramped up efforts to establish a national standing before deciding whether to run for president, as the Republican governor has scheduled meetings with several members of Congress in Washington, D.C. over the last week. However, that plan seemed to backfire in some cases after Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) publicly endorsed Trump just hours after meeting with DeSantis.
Trump has also secured the endorsements of several high-profile Republicans in the House who have aligned themselves closely with the former president on issues such as immigration and the economy.
Those include:
Trump also secured the backing of several high-profile senators, with nine Republicans in the Senate endorsing the former president. No senator has publicly endorsed DeSantis so far.
Trump’s list of supporters in the Senate include:
Although the GOP primary field is still taking shape, Trump leads the other candidates and possible challengers in an average of national polls. Roughly 49% of Republican voters say they plan to back the former president, followed by DeSantis at 26.2%, according to data compiled by FiveThirtyEight.
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It remains unclear whether DeSantis will launch a presidential bid, and the governor has kept his cards close to his chest on his decision. However, the Republican has admitted in private conversations that he’s seriously considering a run, sources told CNN.
Trump’s candidacy has already attracted a crowded field of GOP contenders, including former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and business entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. High-profile Republicans such as former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) are also expected to run.