Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says she doesn’t think Trump CAN WIN against Biden as she throws her support behind Ron DeSantis to help ‘reverse the madness’ taking place across the country

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds confirmed last weekend’s rumors and officially endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for president, angering rival Donald Trump.

Reynolds made the announcement Monday in a joint interview with DeSantis, taking a direct shot at President Joe Biden.

“I can’t believe how it has declined in the short time under President Biden. And we are resilient. We can come back from this. But if we don’t win the next election, we’re done.’

However, she also had harsh words for the electability of former ally and former President Trump.

“I don’t think he can win,” she said.

On the other hand, she strongly believes in DeSantis’ electability, despite trailing in the primary by double digits.

“I believe he is the candidate who can win,” she told the Des Moines Register.

“And not only do we need someone who can win, but we also need someone who has the skill and the determination, which he clearly has, to reverse the madness that we see happening in this country.”

DeSantis sees Reynolds’ endorsement as a coup that he hopes will put him past Trump by the time voters go to the polls

Trump’s campaign — which previously rejected an event organized by Reynolds where she interviewed the candidates — was quick to criticize her on Sunday.

“Kim Reynolds has apparently started her retirement journey early as she clearly has no aspirations for higher office,” the Trump campaign said in an emailed statement.

“Earlier this year, she promised her voters that she would remain neutral in the race, but she has completely kept that promise. Either way, her support won’t make any difference in this race.”

Trump also used his Truth Social account to rob Reynolds.

“If and when Kim Reynolds of Iowa supports Ron DeSanctimonious, who is absolutely dying in the polls both in Iowa and across the country, it will be the end of her political career because MAGA will never support her again, just like MAGA Will never support DeSanctimonious again. again,” he wrote.

‘However, two extremely disloyal people coming together is very nice to see. They can now stay faithful to each other because no one else wants them!!!’

He wrote in another Truth post that Reynolds had promised him he would remain neutral through the primaries.

‘She wanted to campaign with everyone. I told her that I should have “stayed neutral” when she asked me to help her get elected, and that I didn’t want or need her to campaign with me. I’m now 41+ points up in Iowa!’

Reynolds is well-liked within the Republican Party and will break with Iowa’s long-standing tradition of supporting DeSantis.

The governor of Iowa generally remains neutral ahead of the caucuses that kick off the Republicans’ nomination calendar in January.

She is expected to make the official announcement on Monday.

Reynolds had introduced DeSantis at political events in Iowa and appeared alongside Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis — without publicly voicing her support.

But the governor often touted her shared policy priorities and achievements, including a bill that would ban abortion after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant.

Reynolds, who is in her second term, had left open the possibility of endorsing a candidate during the Jan. 15 caucuses.

She had introduced Trump at an event in March. But Trump has accused her of disloyalty for considering an endorsement for the caucuses and trying to take credit for winning the governorship.

Trump is the big favorite to win in Iowa. DeSantis is competing with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to emerge as a viable alternative to Trump in the leadoff contest just 10 weeks away.

A month ago, DeSantis sent about 20 staffers from his campaign headquarters in Tallahassee to Iowa.

The super political action committee backing him, Never Back Down, has employed about 20 staff since the summer to reach out to potential caucus participants.

On Friday, DeSantis spoke to about 50 GOP activists during an early afternoon stop in Denison, the heart of Republican Crawford County.

It was the 86th county in Iowa he visited, on a mission to visit every one of the 99 counties, and the final piece of the puzzle in the bloc of conservative western Iowa.

Reynolds is popular within the party, among other things, because he signed a school choice law and a strict abortion ban this year.