Florida Governor Ron DeSantis receives a significant endorsement from fellow Republican Governor Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma for the GOP’s 2024 presidential primary. Stitt lauds DeSantis’ handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, stating that he “did not surrender states’ rights and individual liberties over to groupthink.” The endorsement is a boost for DeSantis, who is seeking to replace former President Donald Trump as the frontrunner.
Stitt’s backing comes just days after 20 Oklahoma state legislators and former NASA administrator and U.S. Congressman Jim Bridenstine announced their support for DeSantis’ presidential bid. The endorsement marks a key voice of support from a governor with a reputation as a strong conservative.
Stitt has been a supporter of issues like limited government and individual freedoms. He made Oklahoma the first state to ban abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade and has also signed legislation authorizing the “constitutional carry” of firearms in the state. Additionally, last year he signed legislation barring males from participating in women’s sports and this year banned all sex reassignment procedures for minors in the state, including irreversible gender transition surgeries and hormone therapies.
Stitt praised DeSantis as having “boldly delivered results for the people of Florida that laid the groundwork for a booming economy, an education system focused on student outcomes, and better infrastructure for working families.” He further believes that DeSantis is the best candidate to deliver these same results all across America and unwind the disastrous liberal mandates of the Biden administration.
The endorsements come as DeSantis seeks to close the gap on Trump, who is still the clear front-runner for the nomination according to polls. Meanwhile, the field is getting larger with the recent entries of both former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie into the 2024 Republican presidential candidate field.
DeSantis has sought to contrast his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic with Trump’s. The DeSantis campaign recently debuted an AI-generated image depicting Trump hugging Dr. Anthony Fauci. In contrast, Trump recently said that Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo “did better” at handling the pandemic than his fellow Republican.
As of late, it seems like DeSantis is slipping in the polls, according to the latest Fox News poll. However, the endorsement of a strong conservative like Stitt could potentially boost his standing in the polls.
In conclusion, DeSantis’ campaign continues to pick up steam ahead of the 2024 Republican presidential candidate nomination, with endorsements from Stitt, state legislators, and a former congressman. These voice of support is a testament to his effectiveness as Florida’s Governor, as well as a promising candidate who shares Oklahoma’s conservative values.
