Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) met with Republican members of Congress on Capitol Hill on Tuesday before his highly anticipated presidential run in 2024.
Ron DeSantis Washington trip coincided with a flurry of House Republicans endorsing former President Donald Trump, who has been carefully monitoring lawmakers' backing, including some from DeSantis' own state.
Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.) became the third member of US Congress to publicly support Ron DeSantis for president on Tuesday, joining Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas), according to The Hill.
Lee, who was DeSantis' secretary of state in Florida when he ran for office, commended Ron DeSantis' leadership, moral integrity, and adherence to conservative values.
The Florida legislator said that the possible presidential candidate has the attributes the nation needs in a leader because he battles for what counts and prevails when it matters most, Fox News reported.
Rep.Lee said she was honored to serve in his administration and to again back him for president.
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Donald Trump Monitors GOP Legislators' Support
The Republican Party is clamoring for new leadership, but for Hill Republicans, avoiding former President Donald Trump's fury remains their primary concern.
Given that Ron DeSantis hasn't yet announced his presidential campaign, the hesitation to support him shows a persistent reality in GOP politics that Ron DeSantis will have to deal with: working with Donald Trump may be a risky endeavor.
Donald Trump and his staff have been deftly releasing endorsements from inside the Capitol in recent weeks while carefully tracking which lawmakers have given their support to his campaign, according to Politico.
In the 24 hours before Ron DeSantis' arrival, Trump's campaign secured three Florida Republicans' endorsements, including Rep. John Rutherford, only hours before the event. Representatives Brian Mast and Greg Steube also backed Donald Trump's presidential bid.
Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) expressed his support for Trump as he left the DeSantis meeting.
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