Politics
DeSantis vs. Trump: Who's endorsing whom? A City & State tracker
Their respective endorsements highlight each of the GOP frontrunners’ spheres of influence.

Photo illustration by City & State/Photos by Scott Olson via Getty Images
Gov. Ron DeSantis and former President Donald Trump have been gathering political endorsements like two sides amassing arms in a cold war, rattling sabers as their 2024 showdown becomes inevitable.
With DeSantis expected to officially announce his bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination as early as this week, his team unrolled a list of 99 endorsements from Florida lawmakers after a legislative session that got attention nationally.
The move was no doubt a response to Trump rounding the bases with congressional endorsements, already securing a majority of support from the state’s Republican congressional caucus.
Where their endorsements come from shows the two frontrunners’ sphere of influence. Trump, for example, is still a tremendously popular figure in his party and the overwhelming frontrunner in the race. Endorsing him is a no-brainer for GOP elected officials without strong ties to DeSantis.
DeSantis, on the other hand, still holds immense influence over the Florida Legislature with the 2023-24 budget awaiting his signature – and his line-item vetoes. With such potent leverage, it’s no surprise he got overwhelming support from state lawmakers.
Related coverage – Editor's note: On Ron DeSantis and the new ‘imperial governorship’ in Florida
And yet Susan MacManus, a retired political science professor at the University of South Florida, said she’s skeptical that the endorsements will have much effect on voters.
“If you walked out on the street and asked a random person to name one person who endorsed Trump or DeSantis, no one is going to know that,” she told City & State.
She sees DeSantis’ rolling out of the lawmakers endorsements as a clear counterpunch to Trump’s congressional endorsements. “It is kind of like a car show: I’ll match you and do you one better,” MacManus said.
Here are the federal and state elected officials and other political players from the Sunshine State that have (or have yet) to weigh in on Trump or DeSantis.
Those publicly endorsing Ron DeSantis:
Republican U.S. Representatives
Laurel Lee
Republican state Representatives
House Speaker Paul Renner
Chuck Clemons
Adam Anderson
Alex Rizo
Alina Garcia
Berny Jacques
Bob Rommel
Brad Yeager
Chuck Brannan
Danny Alvarez
David Smith
Fabian Basabe
Fiona McFarland
Fred Hawkins
James Buchanan
Jeff Holcomb
Jenna Persons-Mulicka
Jennifer Canady
Jessica Baker
John Snyder
John Temple
Josie Tomkow
Juan Fernandez-Barquin
Kaylee Tuck
Keith Truenow
Kevin Steele
Kiyan Michael
Lawrence McClure
Linda Chaney
Melony Bell
Michelle Salzman
Mike Giallombardo
Peggy Gossett-Seidman
Rachel Plakon
Ralph Massullo
Randy Fine
Randy Maggard
Robert Brackett
Shane Abbott
Spencer Roach
Stan McClain
Thad Altman
Tom Leek
Tiffany Esposito
Toby Overdorf
Tommy Gregory
Traci Koster
Tyler Sirois
Vicki Lopez
Will Robinson
Lauren Melo
Joel Rudman
Chase Tramont
Mike Caruso
Adam Botana
Bobby Payne
Sam Garrison
Dana Trabulsy
Jim Mooney
Jason Shoaf
Mike Grant
Griff Griffitts
Wyman Duggan
Patt Maney
Alex Andrade
Chip LaMarca
Karen Gonzalez-Pittman
Douglas Bankson
Cyndi Stevenson
House Speaker-designate Daniel Perez
Taylor Yarkosky
Kim Berfield
Paula Stark
Sam Killebrew
Ryan Chamberlain
Webster Barnaby
Tom Fabricio
Republican state Senators
Senate President Kathleen Passidomo
Dennis Baxley
Blaise Ingoglia
Bryan Avila
Clay Yarborough
Colleen Burton
Corey Simon
Danny Burgess
Douglas Broxson
Gayle Harrell
Jay Collins
Jay Trumbull
Jonathan Martin
Keith Perry
Nick DiCeglie
Travis Hutson
Jennifer Bradley
Debbie Mayfield
Jason Brodeur
Alexis Calatayud
Jim Boyd
Tom Wright
Senate President-designate Ben Albritton
Political and business figures
Former U.S. Rep. Francis Rooney
Former U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross
Those publicly endorsing Donald Trump:
Republican U.S. Representatives
Gus Bilirakis
Vern Buchanan
Byron Donalds
Matt Gaetz
Carlos Giménez
Anna Paulina Luna
Brian Mast
Cory Mills
John Rutherford
Greg Stuebe
Michael Waltz
Republican state Senators
Joe Gruters
Political and business figures
Former Trump advisor Steve Bannon
Former state Rep. Anthony Sabatini
Former U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn
Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Cabrera
Notable figures who haven’t weighed in:
U.S. Senators
Marco Rubio (R)
Rick Scott (R)
Former governors
Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R)
Republican U.S. Representatives
Neal Dunn
Kat Cammack
Aaron Bean
Bill Posey
Daniel Webster
Scott Franklin
Mario Díaz-Balart
Maria Elvira Salazar
Republican state Senators
Ileana Garcia
Erin Grall
Ed Hooper
Ana Maria Rodriguez
Tom Wright
Republican state Representatives
Carolina Amesty
Mike Beltran
Dean Black
David Borrero
Demi Busatta Cabrera
Susan Plasencia
Juan Carlos Porras
Rick Roth
Did we miss anyone? Let us know. Contact Tristan Wood at twood@cityandstatefl.com and follow him on Twitter: @TristanDWood.
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