Former President Trump keeps turning on Republicans he helped into power, most notably with a growing number of feuds against high-profile GOP governors. Trump is flexing his commanding lead in the crowded primary to exert his influence, underscoring a widening rift between his dominance and some powerful party members. Trump has feuded at one point with Republican Govs. Brian Kemp (Ga.), Kim Reynolds (Iowa) and Ron DeSantis (Fla.), all of whom he endorsed at some point and now says they’ve proven to be disloyal. Trump has also clashed with New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and Arizona former Gov. Doug Ducey. In Georgia, Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp have had a tense relationship since the 2020 election, when Trump pressured him on President Biden’s victory in the state. The Associated Press has the story:
Trump’s hottest feuds with popular GOP Gov.
Newslooks- WASHINGTON- (AP)
Former President Donald Trump has feuded at one point with Republican Govs. Brian Kemp (Ga.), Kim Reynolds (Iowa) and Ron DeSantis (Fla.), all of whom he endorsed at some point and now says they’ve proven to be disloyal. “This is him saying you might be the 500-pound gorilla in your state, but I’m the 1,000-pound gorilla,” Republican strategist Ken Spain said. “He wants to come in over the top and demonstrate that he’s the Alpha Republican.”
Trump slammed Iowa’s Gov. Reynolds on Monday for vowing to stay neutral in the crowded Republican primary. He endorsed Reynolds in 2018, when she narrowly won a full term with 50.3% of the vote. Reynolds, who cruised to victory in 2022 winning 95 of the state’s 99 counties, has appeared recently with DeSantis, prompting criticism from Trump’s campaign, the New York Times reports.
An Iowa state senator who’d previously endorsed Donald Trump is flipping his support to Ron DeSantis just days after the former president attacked Iowa’s popular Republican governor, Kim Reynolds.
Jeff Reichman, who is serving his first term in the state Senate, announced on Thursday that he is defecting to the Florida governor’s presidential campaign. In a statement, Reichman singled out praise for Reynolds, who Trump has targeted for her warmness toward DeSantis, his main rival for the GOP nomination.
“Iowa Republicans must be united if we are going to take our country back and reverse Joe Biden’s failures,” Reichman said in a statement. “Gov. DeSantis has achieved the same type of commonsense policy victories in Florida as we have in Iowa under Gov. Kim Reynolds, and he will deliver historic success for the conservative movement as president as well.”
Trump’s attack on Reynolds came on Monday, just after The New York Times published a report detailing the governor’s frequent appearances with the DeSantis campaign. In response, Trump released a statement saying Reynolds, who has pledged she will not officially endorse anyone in the primary, would not be governor if not for him, since he appointed her predecessor, Terry Branstad, to his administration. Trump also noted that he had previously endorsed Reynolds.
“Now, she wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL,’ Trump said. “I don’t invite her to events!”
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung brushed off the Reichman defection, saying in a statement that “there is no room for weak-kneed and lily-livered people on Team Trump.” He also accused the DeSantis campaign of buying off the state senator by offering to fundraise for and endorse him.
“The truth is that those who have been promised financial support are now regretting their deal with the devil because none of them have been able to schedule fundraisers with DeSantis,” Cheung added.
DeSantis is expected to fundraise for Iowa Republicans, including Reichman, who’ve endorsed him, according to a person familiar with the conversations.
But in response to the Trump campaign’s accusation, DeSantis spokesperson Andrew Romeo said the former president is “losing steam in Iowa and his failing campaign is now lashing out at former supporters. Sad!”
In addition to his attack on Reynolds, Trump has also come under criticism from some Iowa Republicans for his decision to skip this week’s Family Leadership Summit in the state. That forum is drawing other GOP presidential candidates, including DeSantis.
Trump also did not attend a recent political event hosted by Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, though he is slated to campaign in the state next week. The former president is also expected to appear at an Iowa GOP dinner later this month.
With Reichman’s endorsement, DeSantis now has the support of 38 Iowa state legislators.
In Georgia, Trump and Gov. Brian Kemp have had a tense relationship since the 2020 election, when Trump pressured him on President Biden’s victory in the state. Trump, who offered an unexpected endorsement of Kemp during a heated runoff in 2018, has repeatedly railed against him since 2020. But Kemp has defied Trump’s attacks and held a commanding victory during Georgia’s 2022 Republican primary, winning 73% of the vote over Trump-backed former Sen. David Perdue.
In Florida, Trump’s biggest competitor in the 2024 primary is the repeated target of his attacks of disloyalty. “I got him elected,” Trump told Fox News about DeSantis last month. “And I thought it was very disloyal when he said ‘Yes, I’d run.’ I got him past two races.” Trump endorsed DeSantis for governor in 2017, calling him “a brilliant young leader.”
Trump has also clashed with New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and Arizona former Gov. Doug Ducey. Both of the governors won by double-digit margins in 2022 and 2018 respectively. But Republican strategists say it’s unlikely that any Trump offensives will move the needle in either direction. “His attacking Doug Ducey has nothing to do with their vote,” Arizona-based GOP strategist Barrett Marson said. “No one said, ‘Oh, the way he treated Doug Ducey, I’m not going to vote for him.'” “Trump voters are ride or die. And they will go over the cliff with him,” he said.
