Donald Trump continued to rack up endorsements in Florida for his presidential campaign, outmaneuvering the state's Governor Ron DeSantis on his home turf
Vern Buchanan, co-chair of the state's congressional delegation became the eighth Florida lawmaker to come out in support of the former president, announcing his endorsement on Wednesday, hours after a personal call from Trump.
Trump launched a bid for the 2024 Republican nomination in November, and polls show he is leading the field of declared and as-yet undeclared candidates. DeSantis is expected to launch a run and is in second position in polls. "When your calling card is Florida and folks in your own backyard defect that is never a good sign," said Ford O'Connell, a Republican consultant who was a Trump campaign surrogate in 2020. "They have the DeSantis campaign in a vulnerable position."
Trump contacted the lawmakers personally, inviting them to a dinner at his Mar-a-Lago resort on Thursday night.A source familiar with DeSantis’ thinking said the wave of endorsements had not persuaded the governor to accelerate his timetable for a presidential announcement. DeSantis is expected to make clear his intentions after the Florida legislature wraps up its session in early May, followed by a more formal campaign launch in June.
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