DeSantis Dragged By GOP Members As Unfriendly And Unsympathetic While Trump Poll Support Grows

Topline

Florida lawmakers described a lack of personal skills in explaining why they opted against backing Gov. Ron DeSantis in the 2024 GOP primary and are instead rallying behind former President Donald Trump—who was pictured dining with Florida Congress members at Mar-A-Lago on Thursday, the latest embarrassment to DeSantis after Trump won endorsements from the majority of the Florida congressional delegation this week.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis greets supporters after speaking at the Heritage Foundation 50th … [+] Anniversary Celebration leadership summit, Friday, April 21, 2023, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Key Facts

Freshman Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who was endorsed by both Trump and DeSantis in her 2022 campaign for Congress, tweeted a photo of herself and a table full of the Florida Congress members backing Trump beaming from a dinner table at Mar-A-Lago on Thursday in an image she captioned “Florida Delegation” alongside a fire emoji.

Luna is one of several Florida Republicans who have publicly criticized DeSantis’ personal skills in explaining why they are backing Trump this week—she told the New York Times that when her father died in a car crash in January 2022, she received a letter signed “Donald” from Trump, but nothing from DeSantis himself, though his wife Casey sent a written condolence.

Similarly, Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) told the Times earlier this week that Trump was the first person to reach out to him when he was hospitalized earlier this year after falling 25 feet off a ladder at his home, but he never heard from DeSantis—who Steube said has ignored multiple attempts to connect.

Congress members outside of Florida have also shared stories about DeSantis’ apparent inability, or unwillingness, to build relationships: Rep. David Trott (R-Mich.) piled onto the criticism in taking it upon himself to reach out to Politico this week and tell the outlet DeSantis “never said a single word” to him when they sat next to each other for two years on the House Foreign Affairs Committee during DeSantis’ time in Congress: “I was new to Congress, and he didn’t introduce himself or even say hello,” Trott reportedly wrote.

Crucial Quote

“I think he’s an a**hole,” Trott told Politico in a phone interview about DeSantis. “I don’t think he cares about people.”

News Peg

Seven Florida GOP Congress members endorsed Trump this week, bringing his total to 11, while only one member of the Florida GOP delegation, Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), is backing DeSantis. Even if the eight other Republican Florida Congress members who have yet to endorse line up behind DeSantis, Trump will still claim the backing of the majority of the delegation. The endorsements came as DeSantis, who has yet to announce his candidacy and is expected to do so after the conclusion of the Florida legislative session at the end of May, attempted to make inroads with lawmakers in Washington this week at a meet and greet on Capitol Hill. But the event ended in an embarrassment for DeSantis when Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) promptly declared his support for Trump as he left the meeting.

Big Number

47. That’s Trump’s total number of congressional endorsements, compared to three for DeSantis.

Tangent

51% of Republican voters said they would cast their ballots for DeSantis in a matchup with Trump, according to a Wall Street Journal poll released Friday. DeSantis earned the support of 38% of voters, just five months after he led Trump by 14 points.

What We Don’t Know

Who else will jump into the race. Only three other GOP candidates—former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy—have announced. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu are also weighing runs.