Florida’s current Governor isn’t thrilled by his predecessor backing Donald Trump for President.
During an interview, Ron DeSantis ripped Rick Scott for declaring the presidential race effectively over on the Republican side before the first Primary votes are in, suggesting moves like that are intended to subvert the will of voters.
“I must have missed where those voters have actually voted yet. Isn’t it odd that we haven’t had one contest? And there’s people that are having a rush to try to short circuit the people’s voice,” DeSantis said on Fox News’ “America Reports.”
While DeSantis says the “people haven’t been able to speak,” Scott contends that the time has come for the GOP to unite around the former President, a front-runner in all polls of the Republican Primary field.
“I support my friend President Donald J. Trump to be the 47th president of the United States and encourage every Republican to unite behind his efforts to win back the White House. It’s time for the Republican Party to come together, behind one candidate, and declare with one voice that we are united in our efforts to defeat Joe Biden and rescue America,” Scott wrote in Newsweek Thursday.
Scott offered qualified praise of the rest of the field, noting “every single one of them would be a better president than Joe Biden.”
“But Republican voters are making their voices heard loud and clear. They want to return to the leadership of Donald Trump,” the Senator added.
Scott said he would “never demand or even ask that another candidate drop out of a political contest. That’s a decision for every candidate to make for themselves.” Yet he believes “the stakes are too high” not to back Trump now.
Despite the meaningful if unsurprising endorsement, given the strained relationship historically between Scott and DeSantis, the current Governor’s presidential campaign said Thursday isn’t too shaken up by his predecessor backing Trump.
“Ron DeSantis has more endorsements from state legislators than the former president in Iowa (41), New Hampshire (63), and South Carolina (16). He also has the support of almost all Florida elected officials because he worked with them to deliver historic results for the conservative movement,” said Communications Director Andrew Romeo.
“The governor will win his home state because Floridians want to see a fighter who will bring the same type of results-oriented leadership to Washington that he has provided in the Sunshine State.”
However, what’s clear is Scott’s endorsement looms over the state party’s Freedom Summit on Saturday in Orlando, an event that Trump will keynote while DeSantis is relegated to an after-lunch speaking slot.
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