Florida Governor Ron DeSantis received an endorsement from the influential evangelical leader of a top social conservative organization in Iowa this week.
President and CEO of The Family Leader organization, Bob Vander Plaats, announced his support for DeSantis in an interview with Bret Baier on Fox News’ “Special Report.”
“We need to find somebody who can win in 2024,” Vander Plaats said, calling the Florida governor “bold and courageous.”
“We need a president who can serve two terms, not one. We don’t need a president that’s going to be a lame duck on day one,” Vander Plaats said.
DeSantis said earlier in the week that he was “hopeful” to receive the endorsement from the religious figure.
“I think that if you saw that Family Leader forum, clearly his folks there gravitated to me. I don’t think there’s any question about that. We have a good relationship,” DeSantis said.
Vander Plaats is a social conservative leader in the state and backed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania in 2012, and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in 2016.
From Fox News:
Nicole Schlinger, a longtime Iowa-based strategist with close ties to evangelicals, argued that endorsements only go so far. "I think what matters more to Iowa caucus goers than anything is meeting with the candidates and getting their questions answered about their policy positions," she told Fox News. "Endorsements, whether it’s the governor or Bob Vander Plaats, can shine a light on the campaign, and then it’s up to the candidate to seal the deal."
