OAN Geraldyn Berry
11:25 AM – Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Ron DeSantis, the Republican Governor of Florida, has endorsed former United Nations ambassador Kelly Craft in the Kentucky Republican primary for governor on Monday. This was in addition to his anticipated candidacy for president in the 2024 election.
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“Hello, this is Governor Ron DeSantis, coming to you from the free state of Florida. You’ve had a woke, liberal governor who’s put a radical agenda ahead of Kentuckians. The stakes couldn’t be higher. I know what it takes to stand up for what’s right, and Kelly Craft’s got it. She’s proven it,” DeSantis (R-Fla.) said in the recorded statement. “I’m strongly encouraging you to go out and vote for my friend, Kelly Craft. Kelly shares the same vision we do in Florida. She will stand up to the left as they try to indoctrinate our children with their woke ideology. Kelly will fight against crazy ESG policies that are trying to end the coal industry in Kentucky. And Kelly’s going to do everything in her power to end the fentanyl crisis that is hurting Kentucky families.”
Craft responded by hailing the Florida governor leadership of the Sunshine State and expressed that she was “honored and grateful” to have his backing.
“He sets the example for Republican leaders around the nation because he delivers bold, conservative results. Kentucky needs to look more like Florida instead of California, and I look forward to ushering in a new generation of conservative leadership as Governor of Kentucky,” she said.
Following the failure of several of his endorsed candidates in the 2022 midterm elections, former President Donald Trump is testing the influence of his own endorsement for the first time in response to DeSantis’ last-minute support of Craft ahead of Tuesday’s unpredictable Republican primary.
Trump initially supported Craft’s opponent, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, but he stayed with his pick once Craft entered the race.
This comes despite the fact that she had previously served as both his ambassador to Canada and his ambassador to the United Nations following the departure of now-Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley.
Despite the contest being largely seen as a barometer for Republicans hoping to retake the White House and the Senate in 2024, the former president had staged a tele-rally earlier this week in support of Cameron but had chosen not to make an appearance in person.
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