DeSantis’ reaching out to Fla. GOP after Trump endorsements: report

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political team — seeing four members of the Florida congressional delegation back Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential run — has reportedly started calling other Sunshine State Republicans to shore up his support.

The calls started after GOP Florida Rep. Byron Donalds last week endorsed the former president — the fourth member of the state’s congressional delegation to do so, NBC News reported Tuesday. 

​The other three are Reps. Anna Paulina Luna, Matt Gaetz and Cory Mills. ​

Following Donalds’ endorsement, DeSantis’ team reached out to at least six others in the Florida contingent — including GOP Reps. Aaron Bean, Vern Buchanan, Kat Cammack, Mario Diaz-Balart, Laurel Lee and Greg Steube. 

DeSantis, who has yet to formally announce his candidacy, has no endorsements from the 20 Republicans in the state’s congressional delegation. Ryan Tyson, a member of DeSantis’ inner circle, is leading the outreach effort.

“There is clearly some angst from the DeSantis camp that so many members of the state’s congressional delegation are throwing their support behind Trump,” a GOP consultant for one of the members contacted by DeSantis’ team told NBC. “Gaetz going with Trump is one thing, but Byron’s endorsement of the former president undoubtedly rattled some cages.”

Along with the endorsements, Trump has been surging in the polls among Republican primary voters since he was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury for falsifying business records stemming from a $130,000 hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. 

The endorsement by Donalds was viewed by the DeSantis team as more significant than the other defections. 

The governor poured billions of dollars into Donalds’ southwest Florida district after Hurricane Ian, and backs efforts by Donalds’ wife, Erika, to elect conservatives to local school boards. 

Donalds also introduced DeSantis at his victory party in Tampa after the November election, referring to him as “America’s governor.”

Donalds told NBC he endorsed Trump because the country needs a leader “ready for prime time.”

The DeSantis campaign didn’t respond to NBC’s request for comment.