While many were focused on former President Donald Trump’s legal troubles this past weekend — in the wake of Trump’s unprecedented second indictment, which he denies — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis scored an endorsement from the popular Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt.
“I’m officially, 100% endorsing Ron DeSantis for president and we’re going to win it in Oklahoma,” Stitt said, becoming the first Republican governor to endorse a presidential candidate this election cycle.
Speaking to an indoor crowd on Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Stitt hit on the policies DeSantis championed during his time as governor, including immigration, parents’ role in education and resistance to COVID-19 restrictions, with Stitt saying that he’s “never met a better leader than Ron DeSantis.”
PHOTO: FILE -m Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks at the North Carolina Republican Party convention in Greensboro, N.C., June 9, 2023.
Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks at the North Carolina Republican Party convention in Greensboro, N.C., June 9, 2023.
“We need the next president to be in office for eight years,” Stitt said. “We’ve got to defeat Joe Biden, and I believe that Ron DeSantis is the right guy.
Stitt, who won reelection in November, was endorsed by Trump during the 2022 midterm elections.
Stitt received 55% of the vote in Oklahoma during the 2022 elections, defeating his Democratic challenger, Joy Hofmeister. The governor joins 20 Oklahoma lawmakers in endorsing DeSantis for president.
PHOTO: In this Aug. 5, 2022, file photo, Republican Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt gestures onstage at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Dallas, Texas.
In this Aug. 5, 2022, file photo, Republican Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, running for re-election as the Governor of Oklahoma in the 2022 U.S. midterm elections, gestures onstage at the Conservativ…Show more
Brian Snyder/Reuters, FILE
Following his remarks in Tulsa, Stitt and DeSantis both went to Ponca City, Oklahoma, to attend a rodeo and greet attendees.
There, Stitt explained why he endorsed DeSantis over Trump, saying that DeSantis is a “bold leader” and that it’s time to move on from Trump.
“I really believe that we need somebody that can beat Joe Biden and I think Ron DeSantis is the guy,” Stitt said, “It’s nothing against President Trump. He did a great job while he was in office, and I was super supportive. But I think it’s time to turn the page and I just really liked what Ron has done in Florida and I think we have an example of what he can do for the country.”
