Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is a full-throated supporter of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, but she reiterated Monday that she will back front-runner Donald Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee.
Reynolds still expressed confidence that DeSantis will emerge as the Republican nominee for president, but she won't let Trump's criticism of her get in the way of endorsing the GOP candidate in November.
"I've made it clear that I will," Reynolds told Fox News on Monday. "I'm a Republican, and you know, all of the candidates running are going to be better than what we have."
Even in the face of criticism from Trump, who has repeatedly dogged Reynolds since she endorsed DeSantis in early November.
"… We've got to win. I mean, we are resilient people. This country is in trouble. Look at the southern border," Reynolds said.
Trump was already miffed in July when Reynolds said she would remain neutral in the GOP primary. Then it was no-holds barred when she announced her endorsement of DeSantis at a Des Moines campaign rally in November.
"Why would anybody endorse Ron DeSanctimonious, who is like a wounded bird falling from the sky?" Trump said in a Truth Social post two days later. "Well, the "Nation's most unpopular governor," Kim Reynolds of Iowa, just endorsed him. What's that all about?"
He hit on that refrain again Sunday on the stump, calling Reynolds "the least popular governor" in the country and said she was "disloyal."
Trump is the overwhelming favorite to win the Iowa caucuses. He entered Monday with 52.7% support with Haley pulling 18.7%, according to the FiveThirtyEight.com polling average. DeSantis is third at 15.8%.
Reynolds, though, is unmoved.
"I just think, too, when you look at the direction of the country, I mean, I believe it's going to be Ron," she said.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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