Former President Donald Trump picked up even more endorsements from Florida Republican lawmakers, and now boasts support from half of the state’s GOP delegation in the House, NBC News’ Garrett Haake, Matt Dixon, and Olympia Sonnier report.
Since Wednesday morning, Trump picked up three more endorsements, bringing his total endorsements from Florida House members to 10, even as Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis is expected to jump into the presidential race in the coming months. (The endorsements were from GOP Florida Reps. Vern Buchanan, Gus Bilirakis and Carlos Gimenez.)
This comes as DeSantis has continued his travels across the country promoting his book, on Wednesday making his first public trip to South Carolina, a crucial early primary state. DeSantis again leaned into the culture wars, railing against a “woke-mind virus” regarding gender identity and diversity and inclusion efforts, per the Post and Courier.
Meanwhile, Never Back Down, the super PAC backing DeSantis, is making hires in early primary states, per the New York Times. And the Washington Post reports that the group plans to build a field program, even though it is technically independent from any future DeSantis campaign.
And in Florida, DeSantis’ priorities continue to move forward. A new board he appointed rolled out a plan changing the district that oversees Disney World, per Dixon. And Florida’s Board of Education approved DeSantis’ proposal to bar lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity from grades 4-12 (it was previously banned at younger ages). Critics have referred to the legislation as the “Don’t Say Gay” rule.
In other campaign news …
Guess who’s coming to dinner: President Joe Biden is huddling with major donors next week as he gears up for an expected re-election run, NBC News’ Mike Memoli, Natasha Korecki, Jonathan Allen and Katherine Doyle report. They write that the April 28 dinner is notable as Biden’s team has viewed late April as a potential launch time, but “sources emphasized that no timeline has been set in stone.”
RFK, Jr. is in: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the son of the late Sen. Bobby Kennedy, announced Wednesday that he is running for president as a Democrat. NBC News’ Allan Smith reports from Kennedy’s launch in Boston that Kennedy “made only veiled references” to his anti-vaccine activism. Smith notes that Kennedy did say many of his family members disagree with his decision to run.
Trump trial: A Trump attorney left open the possibility that Trump could testify in a civil trial where write E. Jean Carroll has accused Trump of raping her in the 1990s and defaming her.
Trump talk: Trump’s campaign has continued to roll out policy proposals, with his latest outlawing public camping by the homeless and creating “tent cities” for them to stay with support from doctors and social workers.
Time for some traffic problems in the GOP field? Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie laid out his rationale for considering a bid for president, posturing himself as someone who would take on Trump directly.
Thinking about it: Wisconsin businessman Scott Mayer told NBC News that he expects to decide by Labor Day if he is running for Senate against Democrat Tammy Baldwin.
Worrying about it: Politico reports that even Trump is raising concerns about a potential Senate bid by Pennsylvania GOP state Sen. Doug Mastriano, with the former president reportedly worrying the far-right lawmaker could drag down the statewide ticket.
Big Sky bill: A Montana state House committee shelved a measure that would have changed next year’s Senate primary to a Top 2 system, which could have hurt Democratic Sen. Jon Tester’s re-election by squeezing out a third party from the November ballot, per the Associated Press.
The loneliest number: Just one Senate Democrat supported a GOP resolution that sought to block the Department of Veterans Affairs from providing abortion care — West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, who has not yet announced if he’s running for re-election but would face a tough fight in the ruby red state.
Friendly reminder: Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron and his allies are looking to remind voters ahead of next months’ GOP gubernatorial primary that Trump has actually endorsed him in the race.
