Rep. Chip Roy endorses Ron DeSantis for president, though DeSantis is not yet running
GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas has endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for the 2024 presidential race, although DeSantis has not yet announced that he is running.
Roy sent out a fundraising email Wednesday noting his early support for DeSant, writing that as Republicans choose their nominee, “it’s time for the younger, but proven, America should be offered eight solid years of change for leadership.”
“It’s time to make Ron DeSantis President of the United States,” Roy wrote. He praised. DeSantis Rejects COVID Vaccine Mandate In Florida, his Flight of immigrants From Texas to Martha’s Vineyard and in last year’s midterm elections, significant electoral victories by DeSantis and Florida Republicans.
Although DeSantis is not yet in the 2024 presidential race, he has begun building his political infrastructure. And in recent weeks he has also traveled to Iowa and Nevada, two early presidential primary states, to promote his new book and his “Freedom Blueprint.” He also headlined a New Hampshire Republican Party dinner in April.
Roy is the first Republican member of Congress to formally endorse DeSantis’ candidacy. South Carolina Representative Ralph Norman has endorsed his home state’s former governor, Nikki Haley, in the presidential race, and several congressional Republicans are already behind former President Donald Trump.
But feedback comes as support and email DeSantis’ position on Russian invasion of Ukraine It has come under some criticism from congressional Republicans. In response to a Fox News questionnaire, DeSantis said Monday night that he did not believe U.S. support for Ukraine was a “vital” national interest and called the war a “territorial conflict.”
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on Tuesday disputed DeSantis’ characterization of the battle. Interview with Hugh Hewitt
Trump also criticized DeSantis’ latest comments late Monday night, telling reporters traveling with him after an event in Iowa that the Florida governor was “following what I’m saying.” He wants to.”
Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations during the Trump administration, agreed with the former president that DeSantis was “copying” Trump’s stance on Ukraine.
Roy, unlike many of his GOP colleagues in Congress, expressed support for DeSantis’ position in his email, writing that DeSantis recognized “a soldier at his best” when he was “endless around the world. , is not entangled in prolonged military engagements.”
Roy is part of the hardline “Freedom Caucus” in the House, which DeSantis helped create as a congressman in 2015 and which is typically a bloc of Trump allies in Congress. Roy wrote that he plans to support the GOP presidential candidate, whoever that may be, in the general election.