Florida Republicans explain why they are backing Trump over DeSantis in 2024
Florida Republican Reps. Cory Mills, Greg Steube, and Byron Donalds shared their opinions on the potential presidential bid from Ron DeSantis
Some Florida Republicans are coming out to show their support for former President Trump for president in 2024.
Reps. Cory Mills, Greg Steube, and Byron Donalds joined "America's Newsroom" to explain their support for Trump over their home state Gov. Ron DeSantis, who many predict will enter the race.
Steube said that in five years, Governor DeSantis has not reached out to him personally.
"There's been multiple opportunities where I have gone up to him and talked to him, giving him my cell phone number, asked him to reach out to me. There have been events in my district that I was specifically in, told I couldn't be part of the press conference, told to go stand in the corner, was not allowed to be participating in that when he was in my district," he told Bill Hemmer.
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On policy, Steube said he believes in the "America First agenda" and trusts that Trump is the one who can get the job done.
"There is no other candidate for the Republican nominee that can go in day one and do what we need to have done in our country and reverse all the disastrous policies of this Biden administration. And that is President Trump," Steube said.
"I am looking forward to fighting on Team Trump."
Donalds said his endorsement is not about DeSantis but based on his belief in Trump's record as president previously.
"You got to be able to hit the ground running on day one. We know Donald Trump can do it. He did it once before, he can do it again. If you look at our country from a foreign policy perspective, we know all the domestic issues. China is on the move, they see weakness at the White House. The next commander-in-chief has got to be able to do the job of commander-in-chief on day one. We know Donald Trump can do that job."
Mills said Democrats and the mainstream media know Trump can defeat Biden this time around.
"The reason they're going after President Trump is because he is the one who can actually defeat Joe Biden in the White House, take back our country, get it back on track, and start actually leading the country where it needs to go. They know that and that's why they're coming after him. But America stands behind President Trump."
Biden has not officially announced he will run for re-election, but told a reporter last week in Ireland that his "plan is to run again."
Steube said in his district near Sarasota, Florida, Trump has overwhelming support over other candidates, including DeSantis.
Donalds said this race would be different from 2020.
"What I believe is you're going to have President Trump and President Biden in front of these voters. And the simple question is who did the job better? And it is without question that Donald Trump did a significantly better job than what Joe Biden is doing currently. That's going to be your question in '24. And I think that suburban moms looking at inflation, looking at the indoctrination that's happening in our schools, they're going to say, you know what? These Democrats have led us the completely wrong way."
Mills said, "Governor DeSantis has done a great job as governor, but President Trump has shown to be a great president."
The launch of Trump's third straight presidential campaign in November was followed by only a trickle of endorsements from Republican members of Congress. However, as Trump's position as the clear front-runner in the burgeoning 2024 Republican presidential nomination race has become more pronounced this spring, the pace of congressional endorsements has accelerated.
He can now boast the backing of roughly 50 House Republicans and nine GOP senators. He also enjoys the backing of Gov. Henry McMaster of South Carolina, the state that holds the third contest in the GOP presidential nominating calendar.
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Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.
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