Iowa state Sen. Jeff Reichman switched his presidential endorsement from former President Donald Trump to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis days after Trump criticized Gov. Kim Reynolds, Politico reported Thursday.
Trump slammed Reynolds via a Truth Social post Monday for remaining neutral in the GOP primaries and not endorsing him, arguing he “opened up the Governor position” for her. Reichman praised Reynolds when announcing he’d jumped ship from the former president and emphasized the importance of unity in the key early primary state, according to Politico.
“Iowa Republicans must be united if we are going to take our country back and reverse Joe Biden’s failures,” Reichman told Politico. “Gov. DeSantis has achieved the same type of commonsense policy victories in Florida as we have in Iowa under Gov. Kim Reynolds, and he will deliver historic success for the conservative movement as president as well.”
Reynolds has maintained her neutrality in the Republican primary due to her state’s first in the nation status, and has been hosting many of the candidates in Iowa. (RELATED: Trump Goes After Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds For Not Endorsing Him In Primary)
“Trump is losing steam in Iowa and his failing campaign is now lashing out at former supporters. Sad!” DeSantis campaign spokesman Andrew Romeo told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Reichman’s endorsement adds to the list of 37 Iowa state lawmakers who backed DeSantis ahead of his official campaign announcement in late May, according to a Never Back Down press release. Several New Hampshire state lawmakers also switched their endorsements from Trump to DeSantis after the governor secured the support from over 50 of the key early primary state’s House members.
BREAKING: Iowa state senator who’d previously endorsed Trump is flipping his support to @RonDeSantis after Trump’s attacks on Gov. Kim Reynolds.https://t.co/a3ZC9Z6DLU
— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) July 13, 2023
“There is no room for weak-kneed and lily-livered people on Team Trump. Ron DeSanctimonious’ failing campaign is so desperate that he’s willing to offer buyouts in the form of fundraisers for endorsements,” Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told the DCNF. “The truth is that those who have been promised financial support are now regretting their deal with the devil because none of them have been able to schedule fundraisers with DeSantis.”
The former president currently leads DeSantis in Iowa 44% to 21% among a crowded field of Republican hopefuls, according to a July 7 American Greatness poll.
“I love Iowa, protected & expanded Ethanol, got 28 Billion Dollars from China for our great Farmers, ended the Estate (Death!) Tax on farms, made the best TRADE deals in history (USMCA, China, & many more), introduced the World to our FARMERS, & kept Iowa’s ‘First in the Nation’ status,” Trump wrote in the Monday Truth Social. “I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds, & when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, & she won. Now, she wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL.’ I don’t invite her to events! DeSanctus down 45 points!”
Reynolds assumed the governorship in 2017 when Trump appointed then-Gov. Terry Branstad as the U.S. Ambassador to China, and she went on to win two elections in 2018 and 2022, both with the endorsement of the former president.
Reichman immediately responded to the DCNF’s requests for comment.
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