A trio of House Republicans has broken ranks with former President Donald Trump to endorse other candidates for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, according to The Washington Times.
While a small group, their endorsement of other candidates marks a notable shift in a party that's been in virtual lockstep with Trump. Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Chip Roy of Texas have thrown their support behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who sits as a top rival to Trump but has not yet officially declared his candidacy. Meanwhile, Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who launched her campaign on Feb. 14.
Roy predicted more of his colleagues will soon join him in backing the Florida governor. DeSantis, Roy said, "won 62% of the Hispanic vote, 50% of single females and won by a million and a half votes" in his reelection campaign last year. "I think there's a lot of members who are interested, and I think it'll be an interesting few months as it sort of all unfolds."
Massie, speaking about DeSantis, said, "America needs a leader who is decisive, respects the Constitution, understands policy, puts family first, and leads by inspiring."
Trump remains the undisputed front-runner for the nomination; national polls consistently show him leading DeSantis by more than 30 points. DeSantis is currently running a distant second with roughly 25% of Republican support, while the remaining GOP candidates are polling in single digits.
Trump's legal tangling with Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has made him more popular with Republicans, with polls showing a bump for him since the indictment. However, Roy said he wants someone who can serve for eight years and can unite the country, implying that Trump can't do so.
The former president has solid and vocal support in the House Republican Conference, particularly among members of the Freedom Caucus, where he is backed by Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia; Andy Biggs, Eli Crane, and Paul Gosar of Arizona; Lauren Boebert of Colorado; Byron Donalds and Anna Paulina Luna of Florida; Jim Jordan of Ohio; Mary Miller of Illinois; Troy Nehls of Texas; Barry Moore of Alabama; and Alex Mooney of West Virginia.
While the endorsements from the trio of Republican representatives may not pose a significant threat to Trump's bid for the nomination, it does signal a shift in the Republican Party's dynamics going forward into the 2024 presidential election.
Trump and DeSantis perform about the same in hypothetical matchups against President Joe Biden, according to a recent Rasmussen Reports poll, with DeSantis defeating Biden 46% to 38% and Trump beating him 47% to 40%.