DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has officially endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' 2024 presidential bid.
Reynolds made the announcement at a pre-debate rally in Des Moines on Monday.
"We need someone who puts this country first and not himself. . . that leader is Ron DeSantis," Reynolds said at the rally. "And it is why I am so proud to stand here tonight and give him my full support and endorsement for president of United states of America."
Reynolds' endorsement will likely be a boost for DeSantis' campaign, which has focused on Iowa as the 2024 Republican primaries approach. Nearly one-third of DeSantis' staff relocated to the Hawkeye state in October, a move meant to unseat Trump as the Iowa frontrunner.
". . . We have to do everything we can to make the right choice," Reynolds said Monday. "Not only do we need to make sure that we elect someone who can win in each party, we need a president who has the skill and the resolve to reverse the madness that we see every single day."
DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley are tied 27 points behind Trump in Iowa, according to the latest Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom poll — and Reynolds' support could be the push needed to close that gap.
In order to best Trump and break away from Haley, DeSantis has also been visiting all of Iowa's 99 counties since his May election bid.
In July, DeSantis said he would consider Reynolds as a potential running mate, calling her "one of the top public servants in America".
"We can turn this country around, but if we don't get this next election right, if we don't choose right, we are not going to get this country back," Reynolds said.
DeSantis and Reynolds have been known to run their states in similar ways when it comes to their school choice bills and their similar stance on 6-week abortion bans.
"I appreciate Governor Reynolds getting involved in the process," DeSantis said. "Now look, when you do that, some people don't like it and some people say this or that, but I think she understand what I understand is this country has hit the skids."