U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, a Palm Coast Republican who continues to mull a bid for governor, drew Twitter praise Friday from President Donald Trump, who flew to Palm Beach for the Christmas holiday.
“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!,” Trump tweeted.
DeSantis’ campaign team called the president’s tweet an endorsement.
“I’m grateful to have the President’s support and appreciate what he has done — from appointing great judges to recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital to signing a pro-growth tax cut — to get our country back on track,” DeSantis said in a prepared statement. “As an Iraq veteran, I’m especially appreciative of his efforts to support our military and our veterans.”
DeSantis, who has a campaign account open with the Federal Elections Commission to run again for his U.S. House seat, hasn’t opened an account to run for governor.
Brad Herold, of the Ponte Vedra Beach-based Ron DeSantis for Florida, said in an email Friday that the congressman will “make a decision when the time is right.”
While DeSantis hasn’t opened a campaign account for the governor’s race, he has a state political committee, the Fund for Florida’s Future, which started raising money in May and had about $2 million on hand as of Nov. 30.
The White House media pool reported that Trump’s tweet Friday followed an appearance by DeSantis on Fox News, which was aired on Air Force One during the flight.
“Fox News, which played on cabin TVs, featured a segment with Rep. DeSantis toward the end of the flight,” the report said.
DeSantis is among a handful of Republican lawmakers who have openly pushed to curtail Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged Trump campaign ties to Russia. This month, DeSantis accompanied Trump to Pensacola for a campaign rally supporting Republican Roy Moore’s failed bid for the U.S. Senate in Alabama.
Democratic consultant Steve Schale, alluding to Moore’s defeat on Dec. 12 to Democrat Doug Jones in the deep red state, riffed that Trump’s support may not be all that valuable.
“Based on Trump recent success in picking candidates, this might be the kiss of death,” Schale tweeted.
Matt Harringer, a campaign spokesman for Democrat Gwen Graham, called DeSantis “an extreme congressman who is leading the smear campaign against Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the Russia investigations.”
Graham is part of the Democratic gubernatorial field that includes Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, Winter Park businessman Chris King and Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum.
Among Republicans running to replace term-limited Gov. Rick Scott in 2018, Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam is the biggest name to have opened a campaign account.
Putman began December with more than $2.5 million in his campaign account and had more $12.8 million on hand in his Florida Grown political committee.
Clearwater Republican Jack Latvala continued to have a campaign account open Friday, two days after announcing he will resign from his Senate seat following investigations about alleged sexual harassment.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, is also widely expected to run for governor, though he has not opened a campaign account. Corcoran’s Watchdog PAC had nearly $4.69 million on hand when December began.
–Jim Turner, News Service of Florida
Shark says
The undesirables will vote for him just like drumpf !!!!
just me says
DeSantis STAY in the House your doing a GREAT job there.
mark101 says
DeSantis needs to put out the word that he doesn’t want Trump support or an approval. He is doomed if he doens’t.
Marlee says
He just moved out of his house at Matanzas Shores…now maybe someone will “keep it up”.!
PCer says
He supported an accused child molestor for US Senate. That’s enough to NOT get my vote.
Pogo says
@So much for term limits
Term Limits
https://desantis.house.gov/term-limits
But not for himself?
DeSantis wants to follow tricky ricky and become the governor? He’s opposed to states collecting sales taxes from internet retailers – so does that mean he wants a state income tax?
He styles himself a published book author. Good luck finding his publisher.
He taught law at Florida Coastal School of Law. Does he still?
Florida Coastal is one of two law schools to fail Department of Education’s gainful employment test
Posted January 26, 2017 05:24 pm | Updated January 27, 2017 10:07 am
By Amanda Williamson
http://jacksonville.com/news/2017-01-25/florida-coastal-one-two-law-schools-fail-department-education-s-gainful-employment
Florida Coastal Law School places last in Bar exam passage again
Summer test results much better than winter’s one in four passage
Posted September 18, 2017 05:56 pm | Updated September 18, 2017 07:01 pm
http://jacksonville.com/news/education/2017-09-18/florida-coastal-law-school-places-last-bar-exam-passage-again
By Eileen Kelley
Aside from dating Ted Cruz, the NRA, and the religious right he dosen’t seem to do anything but collect contributions from big out of state PACs.
Know what you’re voting for and vote NO DeSantis.
Terry leishman says
My experence with Desantis is he is so well insulated from his constituyentes by his Port orange Office and his Washington offices he will fit right into the swamp.
I tried over a 4 month period with 84 emails 6 office visits in Port Orange many phone calls to always be told he is not available in the end i came to the conclusion a total waste of time seeking help from him or his staff
palmcoaster says
Did De Santis move from Pontevedra to Palm Coast?…to be a Palm Coast Republican?
Robbie says
So I guess all of you Trump haters will be donating your tax bonus in your 2018 return to charity. After all, you hate Trump so much that you will not want any extra in your paycheck to keep for yourself since he is so bad.
markingthedays says
“appointing great judges” LOL
Trumpster says
Trump is better at picking his nose than Candidates and Cabinet Members. His ability to select individuals is compromised by the STUd’s he got from his Communist (Spy) Escort.
Stranger in a strange land says
He has treated the residents of his district like stepping stones. He voted against hurricane relief, against healthcare that would cover the many people with no coverage in his district, he voted in favor of offshore drilling, etc. etc. etc.. He arrived in Washinton propelled by Tea Party members that believed he was a deficit fighter. He was until he wasn’t and voted for the tax cut for the corporations and rich which will baloon the deficit. Guess what the excuse for cutting social security, medicare, and other safety nets for the retired and poor? A balooning deficit! The only thing DeSantis represented were his own political ambitions. We all got stepped on in the process.
knightwatch says
Wherever DeSantis goes, whatever he does, it’ll be all about him and his ambition. DeSantis did nothing for us, nothing for Florida. He is merely an ass-kisser and a political climber. He must be defeated if he runs for governor. He must be defeated if he runs for dogcatcher!
Just My 2 ¢ says
Never forget that DeSantis joined a man who is accused of sexual misconduct by more than 15 women, has passed legislation that will hurt middle America, has spent millions of tax dollars on golfing vacations, and is, for all practical purposes, under investigation for Russian collusion to his campaign to go support another man (albeit in Pensacola, and not in Alabama) who was accused of predatory and pedophile sexual behavior by several women.
DeSantis will perpetuate the GOP agenda of robbing the poor to give to the rich.
Lou says
Attack on American society, decency keep going on.
God save America, PLEASE.
Sherry says
De Santis. . . what has he ever done for our district? He’s a complete low life! We deserve a much better governor, especially after Scott. Please do not vote for DeSantis for any governmental position.
Patriot says
I do not recall ever in my life meeting someone as arrogant and rude as Ron. He cares nothing about people in fact I don’t think he even sees other people. He sees chess pieces in his political game. Most of us are just pawns. The rich who donate to his campaign might be nights or better but they are just game pieces as well., Ron says he wants to drain the swamp in Florida. That is a laugh you are the Swamp Ron. He goes on to make a lot of other claims. If you listen clearly you will hear that he has done nothing and accomplished nothing.
He represents Flager County only because it was a convenient election and a stepping stone for his career. He cares nothing about the people of Flagler. He acts like he thinks he is better then the people he claims to represent. He thinks the people exist to serve him. He bought a house in Flagler County so he could claim he is a resident. He really hangs out in Ponte Vedra Beach. I’m actually glad when he is not at his home in Flagler he brings a chill into the air.