On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced the support of 15 South Carolina lawmakers, hoping their backing for his Republican presidential candidacy will help him persuade voters in the state’s first-in-the-South primary.
In advance of DeSantis’ town hall in North Augusta, The Associated Press was the first to learn about the endorsements, which came from 11 state House members and four state senators from throughout the state, with a concentration in South Carolina’s conservative Upstate.
In a state where current Republican front-runner Donald Trump easily won the 2016 primary and has maintained support, it’s a show of power from DeSantis.
“It is disrespectful to the Israeli soldiers who put their lives in danger day and night to safeguard every human life. It is rude to the neighborhoods where children, friends, neighbors, and family have died or been hurt.
The author concluded, “Ambassador Nides must offer an apology to the state of Israel, to those who value strong US-Israel relations, and to the Jewish people who mourn the loss of our brethren regardless of where they are attacked.”
The South Carolina Republican presidential primary date of Feb. 24 was decided earlier this month by state GOP leaders; however, clearance from national party leaders is still pending.
Sen. Josh Kimbrell, a Spartanburg Republican who had supported the governor’s bid even before he officially entered the race, is on DeSantis’ list of supporters.
He claimed that DeSantis is “the only candidate in this race who can defeat” President Joe Biden.
Legislators who have presented DeSantis during appearances in the state with early voting provide the majority of the fresh endorsements.
At a campaign rally in Bluffton this month, one of them, North Charleston Rep. Chris Murphy, complimented DeSantis as “the only candidate that has worn our nation’s uniform.” There’s also Rep. Micah Caskey, a retired Navy judge advocate general.
Even though many contenders in the crowded primary field are actively courting them, it isn’t easy to measure local legislator endorsements’ influence on voters’ impressions of presidential candidates.
More than 140 current and former public leaders in his home state, including over two dozen state senators, endorsed Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina last week.
Trump unveiled his leadership team in South Carolina during the state’s kickoff event in January, which included steadfast supporter Gov. Henry McMaster, Sen. Lindsey Graham, and numerous other members of Congress.
Trump will be back in South Carolina on July 1 for his first political event since being charged with mishandling sensitive documents by the federal government, and he’ll be back again in August for a South Carolina GOP fundraiser.
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