Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has received endorsements from both House Speaker Paul Renner and Senate Leader Kathleen Passidomo for his potential 2024 presidential bid.[0] This move is expected to gather more public endorsements that will solidify DeSantis’ position as a viable contender in the state where he and former President Donald Trump both call home. Despite Trump’s popularity with Florida’s Republican delegation in the U.S. House, Renner and Passidomo have both praised DeSantis’ record in delivering pro-family and pro-economic ideals that will keep Florida free and be of critical importance in the 2024 presidential election.[1]
During the recent legislative session, Passidomo and Renner had both been non-committal when asked whom they would back in the looming GOP Primary.[2] However, the decision between the two Florida men has put Florida GOP lawmakers in a bind, with all but one of Florida’s Republican delegation in the U.S. House opting to support Trump.[2] DeSantis, who has yet to formally announce his bid for president but has been touring key campaign stops around the country, including Iowa, has already begun to criticize Trump more often in response to a barrage of insults and detractions from his former ally.
Renner and Passidomo were instrumental in helping DeSantis push through an aggressive legislative package during the past two months, passing bills to ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, eliminate diversity programs at state universities, expand restrictions on instruction of gender identity and sexual orientation in K-12 schools, allow for concealed carry of a firearm without a permit, and ban state or local investments on the basis of economic or social scores.[3]
A pro-DeSantis super PAC, Never Back Down, is expected to unveil a list of all legislative endorsements later this week, which will include a “vast majority” of Florida Republican lawmakers, according to two sources familiar with the efforts.[4] DeSantis is expected to launch his campaign soon, as Never Back Down seeks to create a springboard for his campaign with endorsements from key legislators and lawmakers.
0. “DeSantis Picks Up Presidential Endorsements from Renner, Passidomo” WNDB – News Daytona Beach, 16 May. 2023, https://www.newsdaytonabeach.com/stories/desantis-picks-up-presidential-endorsements-from-renner-passidomo,43088
1. “Florida House and Senate leaders endorse DeSantis for president” Yahoo News, 16 May. 2023, https://news.yahoo.com/florida-house-senate-leaders-endorse-153200929.html
2. “Paul Renner, Kathleen Passidomo endorse Gov. Ron DeSantis for President” Florida Politics, 16 May. 2023, https://floridapolitics.com/archives/612409-paul-renner-kathleen-passidomo-endorse-gov-ron-desantis-for-president/
3. “Florida’s top 2 GOP legislative leaders back DeSantis for president” POLITICO, 16 May. 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/16/paul-renner-kathleen-passidomo-ron-densantis-for-president-00097119
4. “Top Republicans in Florida Legislature endorse DeSantis presidential candidacy” Yahoo News, 16 May. 2023, https://news.yahoo.com/top-republicans-florida-legislature-endorse-154200676.html
