Republican senators are supporting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis against former President Trump’s efforts to prevent him from running for president in 2024.
Meanwhile, Trump is gaining support among Senate Republicans, signaling division in the GOP for the presidential primary. Republicans who see Trump as a hindrance to midterm candidates say it’s DeSantis’ decision to run and he doesn’t owe Trump any loyalty.
Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) says DeSantis would bring new blood to the race and is polling well. Cornyn laughed at Trump’s claim that DeSantis would be disloyal for running against him.
Republican senators also argue that Trump’s endorsement of DeSantis in 2018 shouldn’t stop him from running. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) says multiple Republican candidates with Trump’s endorsement may run, even those in the president’s cabinet.
Ron DeSantis, the popular Florida governor, is facing opposition from former President Donald Trump in his potential run for the 2024 presidential race. Trump is claiming that it would be a “great act of disloyalty” for DeSantis to challenge him for the Republican nomination.
However, Republican senators are rallying to defend DeSantis and view Trump’s feud with the governor as an early sign of division in the GOP. They argue that it’s up to DeSantis to decide whether to run and that his 2018 endorsement from Trump should not prevent him from doing so.
Some senators, such as John Cornyn (R-Texas), even find humor in Trump’s assertion and believe that DeSantis would bring new blood to the race. The outcome of this feud will have a significant impact on the 2024 Republican presidential primary.