Florida lieutenant governor backs DeSantis’s 2024 bid

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s second in command is throwing her support behind his 2024 presidential bid. 

The endorsement from Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez came just hours before DeSantis is expected to formally announce his campaign for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination in a live Twitter discussion with the social media platform’s billionaire owner Elon Musk.

In a statement shared first with The Hill, Nuñez described DeSantis as a “fighter” with a proven track record of governing.

“He’s a great Governor and an even better man,” said Nuñez, who would succeed DeSantis if he were to be elected president. “He is guided by his convictions and principles. He does not waiver in the face of adversity. Over the last five years, I’ve served as his Lieutenant Governor and I’ve watched him fight. No one has had a better front row seat to the depth and breadth of his courage.” 

“Now America needs him. That is why I’m honored to unequivocally endorse Ron DeSantis for President. It’s time to join together for the future of our great nation and meet this moment. He will never back down and he has only begun to fight.”

Nuñez’s endorsement isn’t surprising given her years-long ties to DeSantis; she served as his running mate through both his 2018 and 2022 gubernatorial campaigns.

Yet the endorsement makes her the latest top Florida Republican to back the governor’s presidential ambitions. 

Last week, 99 of the state’s 113 Republican legislators endorsed DeSantis, including Florida House Speaker Paul Renner and Senate President Kathleen Passidomo. 

Trump, meanwhile, has rallied the support of more than half of Florida’s 20-member Republican congressional delegation.