An Iowa state senator announced Thursday he was backing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in the 2024 presidential primary process, flipping his support from Donald Trump after the former president lashed out at Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R).
“Iowa Republicans must be united if we are going to take our country back and reverse Joe Biden’s failures,” said Jeff Reichman (R), a first-term state senator, in a statement. “Governor DeSantis has achieved the same type of commonsense policy victories in Florida as we have in Iowa under Governor Kim Reynolds, and he will deliver historic success for the conservative movement as president as well.”
Reichman in March was listed among roughly a dozen Iowa officials who the Trump campaign rolled out as early endorsers of the former president.
Reichman’s support for DeSantis comes as Trump drew criticism from Iowans for his broadside against Reynolds earlier in the week, when he complained about her approach to the 2024 caucuses in her state after she appeared at multiple events with DeSantis.
Reynolds, who coasted to reelection last November, has said she would remain neutral in the 2024 process so all candidates feel welcome to campaign in the state.
Reynolds appeared last week alongside DeSantis’s wife, Casey DeSantis, at the launch of her “Mamas for DeSantis” initiative for the Florida governor’s presidential campaign. She has attended previous events with DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), and she is scheduled to attend a town hall with Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) in the coming days.
Approved ~ FS
Martini
Article URL : https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4096110-iowa-state-senator-flips-endorsement-from-trump-to-desantis/