President Donald Trump on Friday jumped into the Florida gubernatorial race with a tweet praising Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), a Trump supporter, as a “brilliant young leader” and “true FIGHTER!”
Congressman Ron DeSantis is a brilliant young leader, Yale and then Harvard Law, who would make a GREAT Governor of Florida. He loves our Country and is a true FIGHTER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 22, 2017
Politico reported earlier in December, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the conversation, that Trump promised DeSantis his support when the congressman flew on Air Force One with him earlier in the month.
According to the report, DeSantis and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) traveled with Trump when the President held a rally in Pensacola, Florida, ahead of the Alabama special election. On the plane, according to Politico, Trump told DeSantis that he would help in the Florida gubernatorial race, and told him, “You’re my guy.”
Over the summer, DeSantis introduced a resolution that would have ended funding for special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe within six months of its passage and would have prohibited the probe from examining any events before June 2015, when Trump announced his presidential campaign.
DeSantis has not formally announced his decision to enter the race, but is expected to throw his hat in the ring, and a political committee has already been set up to raise money from his traditional donors.
