Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earned another 21 endorsements from state and county officials across 10 states after Wednesday night's first GOP presidential debate, his campaign said Thursday.
The latest haul puts DeSantis over 300 state-level endorsements, more than any other Republican candidate, DeSantis for President said.
"Hardworking Americans are getting hammered by Joe Biden's radical policies and rising prices. We need a president who understands how to rebuild the American dream and fight for the middle class. Ron DeSantis has the vision, experience, and energy to reverse our economy's decline and make life affordable for working families," read one such endorsement from Tennessee State Rep. Gino Bulso.
But what DeSantis has in endorsements, he drastically lacks in poll numbers.
As of Thursday, DeSantis sat in second place with 14.8% nationally, per the FiveThirtyEight aggregate, well behind former President Donald Trump's 51.6%.
In Iowa, where DeSantis' campaign boasts more than 11,000 people committed to caucus for him on Jan. 15, DeSantis trailed Trump by 23 points, per the latest Des Moines Register poll released Monday.
The state where DeSantis is No. 2 by the least is Pennsylvania — where he's 18 points down.
Trump leads DeSantis by 28 points in Illinois, per the Public Policy Polling survey in June, but he's got the vote of Illinois Senate Deputy Republican Leader Sue Rezin.
"As a mom, ... I am concerned about what our children are being taught in the classroom and what kind of country we will inherit," she said. "Ron DeSantis is the only candidate who can be trusted to fight for my family the same way he fights for his, and I am proud to endorse him for president."
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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