Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Politico
Politico
Politics
Kelly Garrity

DeSantis gets his first gubernatorial endorsement

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis waves to the crowd next to Oklahoma Gov Kevin Stitt at an event in Tulsa, Okla., on June 10, 2023. | Nathan J. Fish/The Oklahoman via AP Photo

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary on Saturday, the first endorsement DeSantis has received from a fellow GOP governor.

“I am officially, 100 percent, endorsing Ron DeSantis for president, and we’re going to win it in Oklahoma,” Stitt said Saturday ahead of DeSantis’ speech in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

DeSantis is “the right guy to beat Biden,” Stitt said, lauding the Florida governor’s leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stitt was endorsed by former President Donald Trump in his most recent reelection bid in 2022, in which he won more than 55 percent of the vote, beating Democratic challenger Joy Hofmeister in an election that was closer than expected.

Stitt's endorsement came after DeSantis unveiled endorsements from 20 Oklahoma state lawmakers and former Oklahoma Rep. Jim Bridenstine, a NASA administrator under former President Trump.

DeSantis still trails Trump in the polls. But as the former president faces a slate of new federal charges, his position as the GOP presidential front-runner could be in peril.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.