Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has recently picked up a few endorsements from influential conservative voices in Iowa, where the first GOP primary will be held — the latest coming from a former GOP leader in the state.
Former Co-Chair of the Republican Party of Iowa Cody Hoefert endorsed DeSantis in an op-ed published by The Gazette on Wednesday, calling him “a battle-tested leader who can get our country back on the right track, who fights for our shared principles and can deliver results for the people.”
DeSantis also recently received the endorsement of another notable voice from the state, popular radio host Steve Deace, who praised DeSantis’ strong leadership.
“I’ve seen a lot of good people come and go, but frankly I have never seen it, when it comes to the issues that are going to decide the future for our children and grandchildren, who has more knowledge, more willingness, more resume, in understanding them, what to do about them, and then actually doing it. I’ve never seen anything like what Ron DeSantis has done in Florida,” Deace said.
Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats also signaled his support for the Florida governor when he hosted DeSantis at an event earlier this month while expressing doubts about GOP frontrunner Donald Trump.
“So I do believe the president has a self-inflicted ceiling, and I think others are looking for who else it could be, so we could turn the page to that next generational leader,” Vander Plaats told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto in the wake of another indictment against Trump.
The endorsements from Hoefert and Deace come as polls in Iowa are tighter than national polls, which show Trump with a commanding lead over DeSantis and the rest of the field.
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“I was privileged to help lead our state through two Republican caucuses,” Hoefert wrote. “I understand the critical role Iowa plays in putting candidates through the wringer on a national stage.” DeSantis, he said, has been the only GOP presidential candidate who pledged to visit every county in Iowa, adding, “DeSantis is doing what it takes to earn Iowans’ support.”
He also praised DeSantis’ record during the COVID lockdown, saying he ensured Floridians could “keep their jobs and businesses open, send their kids to school, and freely worship in person at church.” Echoing radio host Mark Levin’s assertion that the Florida governor had already led a conservative “revolution” in his state, Hoefert said he was “the only candidate in the race who has fought back against the radical left’s woke agenda and won,” having “set the national standard to defend the innocence of our children in the classroom, eliminating Critical Race Theory and expanding school choice.”
Hoefert also made a point of acknowledging his respect for the Trump administration, but said “we need a new leader without constant distractions and excuses. I have heard from Iowans from every corner of the state who supported Trump through every battle, but they are ready to move on.”
Trump “has now refocused his energy on petty battles like attacking Kim Reynolds and claiming her victory as his own. Iowans see straight through his blame game, and are tired of his inability to stay focused on the issues,” he opined. “America needs a leader who will inspire and get the job done, not point fingers when things don’t go their way.”
