Kim Reynolds, the influential governor of Iowa, is expected to support DeSantis
Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa is expected to back Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida in Monday’s Republican presidential primaries, throwing her considerable influence in the state behind her as he tries to make up ground against former President Donald J. Trump before the state elections. caucuses in January.
The approval will happen when Mr. DeSantis appears in the state, according to three people familiar with the plans.
The approval was first reported by The Des Moines Register And NBC News.
Ms. Reynolds is very popular with Republicans in her state, and she is one of the few governors with whom Mr. DeSantis has had a real bond in recent years. The two governors have aligned on issues including Covid and abortion policies. Her interest in his candidacy has been clear for months, including to Mr. Trump, who criticized her for not backing him.
People who have spoken to Ms. Reynolds say she has had some frustrations with the DeSantis campaign’s stumbles. But she is furious with Mr Trump, who those people say has personally attacked her twice.
Mr. Trump’s team has been pushing for months for her possible endorsement of Mr. DeSantis.
Mr. Trump grew frustrated with Ms. Reynolds’ public appearances with Mr. DeSantis earlier this year, at one point saying: “I hate to say it, without me she wouldn’t win, you know that, right? ” He later lashed out again, saying he didn’t invite her to his events.
The endorsement comes ahead of the third presidential debate on Wednesday in Miami, when Mr. DeSantis will seek to both close Mr. Trump’s position and split from Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina and former ambassador to the United States. Nations tied to him in Iowa in the latest Des Moines Register/NBC News poll in the state.
The DeSantis campaign declined to comment, and a spokesperson for Ms. Reynolds did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Jason Miller, an adviser to Mr. Trump, mocked the endorsement in an emailed statement with the subject line “Kim Reynolds supports a candidate who will never become president.” “Rob DeSanctimonious won’t get anything but Carly Fiorina’s jump,” he said, referring to one of Trump’s 2016 challengers.
Ms. Reynolds is fiercely protective of her state, and some close to her believed she was unlikely to support Mr. DeSantis unless his campaign showed signs of progress. The decision to support the proposal appears to be a sign that Ms. Reynolds believes she can make a meaningful difference in a contest where polls show Mr. Trump still leading by a wide margin. Historically, the Iowa caucuses have been volatile affairs, with significant changes as the election approaches.