A list of more than 50 endorsements for Ron DeSantis from New Hampshire GOP state legislators was rolled out Tuesday. Four of the names on the list had already endorsed Trump. Then the weirdness began. One alleged DeSantis endorsee said she no, no, she still endorses Trump but she also endorses DeSantis. It’s a double endorsement. What?
Tuesday, officials of the DeSantis-supporting super PAC Never Back Down released the list of New Hampshire endorsements. The four who switched from Trump to DeSantis were listed as State Reps. Juliet Harvey-Bolia, Brian Cole, Lisa Smart, and Debra DiSimone. Then Harvey-Bolia spoke out. And, Smart said she is sticking with Trump. Again, what? What is happening here? That leaves two of the four as flippers. That isn’t completely clear at this point, though, because those two didn’t return calls from reporters trying to confirm their endorsements.
Smart says Never Back Down is playing games and Harvey-Bolia says DeSantis is good for later but Trump is best for now.
“I’m endorsing both,” she said in a telephone interview. “DeSantis has a lot of promise for the future, and Trump is great now.”
Smart, one of the other three legislators, said Tuesday that she remains with Trump — dropping DeSantis’ total to 50 state lawmakers.
“I was so incredibly proud to join many of my colleagues in endorsing President Donald J. Trump last month and my support for him has not changed,” Smart said in a statement provided to NBC News by the Trump campaign. “I’m dismayed by the games being played by Never Back Down and I will NOT be participating in any activities with Ron DeSantis.”
This is rookie mistake stuff and I hope the super PAC gets it together before DeSantis officially enters the race. He’s got enough ground to make up as it is without dueling endorsements that may or may not be real.
DeSantis got good reviews after his last trip to New Hampshire. New Hampshire state House Republican leader Jason Osborne endorsed DeSantis at the beginning of May. That was a big get for DeSantis. New Hampshire holds the first Republican primary and his endorsement could help carry DeSantis to victory in the state. So, the double endorsement and the non-endorsement from Smart were a couple of twists in the story.
A list of 37 Iowa legislators who endorse DeSantis were unveiled by the super PAC last week before his three-city tour of the state. NBC News confirmed that he has summoned his top donors to Miami for meetings on May 25 in expectation of his campaign launch. His team expects more than 100 donors and supporters to attend a briefing with him and his senior team.
The weird happenings with the New Hampshire endorsements point to the pressure on state legislators for endorsements. There is a definite battle going on between Trump and DeSantis now. The lawmakers have to do a delicate balance of not angering any candidate during the primary season while stepping forward to endorse their choice. It’s way too early to know who will win the GOP primary, though Trump is clearly ahead by a very comfortable lead at this point. As I’ve mentioned, DeSantis has a lot of ground to make up. It’s certainly possible for DeSantis to catch up and run neck and neck with Trump again as he did at one time. Who knows what will happen down the road?
Smart may say she is totally behind Trump now but Never Back Down showed her pledge to support DeSantis that was signed on May 9 to NBC News. What happened in a week’s time?
Allies of DeSantis aren’t worried. They say there is a sense of excitement for him in the early states.
“I think you get a sense from what you saw in Iowa over the weekend that those legislative endorsements are indicative of what we’re seeing and feeling on the ground,” said a Never Back Down strategist who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss political machinations. “And I think what you’re seeing and feeling on the ground in New Hampshire is going to be very similar.”
The primary is young. Anything can happen in politics. Even weird double endorsements.
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