(VitalNews.org) – Republican Governor of Iowa Kim Reynolds announced her support for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president this week and claimed President Donald Trump failed to solicit her endorsement as he turned on her over the last few months.
On Monday, Reynolds threw her lot in with the Republican governor of the Sunshine State. Reynolds appeared alongside DeSantis in a joint interview with NBC News and described him as someone who calls out the “moral decline” in the US “for what it is” and “looks to the future” rather than “the past.” She also said that “most importantly,” DeSantis is someone who “can win.”
DeSantis called the move “very meaningful” and described Reynolds as “a great leader” loved by Iowans.
Trump weighed in on the announcement on his Truth Social page, asking why “anybody would endorse” DeSantis, who he calls “Ron DeSanctimonious” and described as “a wounded bird falling from the sky.” Trump also called her the “Nation’s most unpopular governor” while questioning her endorsement of DeSantis.
The former president also took credit for Reynolds’ 2018 victory, something he often does toward DeSantis. Trump said Reynolds was losing to her Democratic opponent in 2018 until he stepped in and “worked hard” to get Reynolds elected. Trump ended his remarks by boasting how he doesn’t invite Reynolds to any of his events.
But before turning on her, Trump’s campaign seemed quite keen on getting Reynolds onboard. In September, Trump’s campaign showed its intentions of gaining Reynolds’ endorsement by passing out flyers that showed the former president standing with the governor at a rally.
During the joint interview with the Florida governor, Reynolds told NBC host Dasha Burns that the status of her relationship with the former president is uncertain. Burns asked Reynolds if she “spoke with him recently,” to which Reynolds replied, “No, I haven’t.” She was then asked when was the last time she saw Trump. Reynolds replied that it was when he “called to ask” if she “would endorse him,” to which she told Trump she wasn’t at that point.
Reynolds won her re-election campaign in 2022 by a large margin. She told the NBC host she doesn’t believe Trump will win the White House if chosen as the GOP nominee. Iowa is a major battleground state for Republicans.
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