Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) formally endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for president during a rally in Des Moines, taking a subtle jab at former President Donald Trump — the runaway frontrunner — in the process.
“Are we ready? Are we fired up and ready to go?” Reynolds asked as she made her way to the stage before heaping praise on the crowd of Iowans.
“This is an incredible crowd, especially on a Monday night. … It’s … one of the things that I love so much. … You are here because you care. You care about our country. You care about our state, and you care about our freedoms. You show up because you know how important this election is, and you know, without a doubt, the critical role that you play,” she said before laying out the dire state of affairs under President Joe Biden.
“Crime out of control. Terrorists are coming across the border. Over six million illegal immigrants have invaded our homeland. Fentanyl is flooding our streets and killing our children. Government spending is out of control. Inflation is crushing families. And here’s this, here’s the most amazing thing: the Democrats are bold enough to tell you that Bidenomics is actually working,” she said, making the case for DeSantis by asserting that Republicans must “make the right choice.”
“Not only do we need to make sure that we elect someone who can win and beat Joe Biden, we need a president who has the skill and the result to reverse the madness that we see every single day,” she said before subtly dissing Trump.
“We need someone who will fight for you and win for you. We need someone who won’t get distracted but will stay disciplined, who puts this country first and not himself,” she said. “That leader is Ron DeSantis.”
She then pointed to the coronavirus pandemic, asserting that it showcased DeSantis’s leadership. She then subtly jabbed Trump yet again.
Pressure “came from every corner, even from the White House,” she asserted. “You know, most leaders, they buckled under that pressure. They listened to Fauci instead of the real science, but there was one man running for president who did not. Ron DeSantis.”
Reynolds also said that DeSantis “dug into the issues” and described him as “focused” as well as “principled.”
“He is results-driven, and in short, what I love most about Ron is he gets things done,” she said to applause, describing the presidential hopeful as one of the “most effective leaders that I have ever seen,” pointing to his hurricane response in the Sunshine State as another example.
Most importantly, Reynolds asserted, DeSantis is someone who “can win.”
“And it is why I am so proud to stand here tonight and give him my full support and endorsement,” she said, mentioning that Iowa has welcomed candidates to the state, pointing to their visit to the Iowa State Fair. However, she failed to mention Trump outshining DeSantis as the former president flew over the fair, drawing spectators away from the governor as many cheered, “We love Trump!” and “We want Trump!”
The governor also made no mention of survey after survey showing Trump as the runaway frontrunner not only in Iowa but nationwide, nor did she mention the polls showing Trump leading Biden in key swing states.
Monday’s RealClearPolitics (RCP) average showed Trump leading DeSantis by an average of 30.3 percent in the Hawkeye State.
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