Ron DeSantis says he would consider Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds as his running mate
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican presidential hopeful, expressed his openness to the idea of having Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds as his running mate while criticizing former President Donald Trump’s recent criticisms of her.
When asked if he would consider Reynolds as a potential vice presidential candidate if he secures the GOP nomination, DeSantis replied, “Of course.” Speaking at a fundraising event in Ankeny, Iowa, he described Reynolds as one of the foremost public servants in the country.
DeSantis also disregarded Trump’s attacks on Reynolds, deeming them entirely unjustified and unnecessary. In response to DeSantis’ remarks, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung commented, “Ron DeSantis is totally out of hand.”
Despite DeSantis trailing Trump by a significant margin in national polls, Trump expressed his frustration with Reynolds last week for not endorsing a candidate early on in the race for the GOP nomination. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump insinuated that Reynolds was supporting DeSantis despite her commitment to maintaining neutrality, which is traditionally observed by Iowa governors during the closely watched presidential primary.
“I supported Kim Reynolds throughout her campaign for Governor, and she emerged victorious. Now, she wants to stay ‘NEUTRAL.’ I won’t invite her to events! DeSanctus is 45 points behind!” Trump wrote, referring to DeSantis, his primary rival.
According to sources close to Reynolds and DeSantis cited by The New York Times on July 8, the two governors developed a close bond during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, one of Reynolds’ senior advisors, Ryan Koopmans, also advises a pro-DeSantis super PAC.
Last week, DeSantis also expressed his support for Reynolds on Twitter, praising her as a strong leader who remains undeterred by criticism and gets things done. He highlighted her landslide re-election victory and anticipated her continued accomplishments for the people of Iowa during the special session.
In 2016, Senator Ted Cruz of Texas won the GOP caucuses in Iowa, outperforming Trump. However, Trump ultimately secured victory in the general election. Trump also won both the GOP caucuses and the presidential election in Iowa in 2020.
