Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) has endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for president in 2024—even before DeSantis has formally announced his candidacy.
McCormick is the seventh Representative to endorse the Florida Republican ahead of his announcement, which is expected to happen later Wednesday evening (May 24) during a live appearance on Twitter with the platform’s owner, Elon Musk.
In a video released in a Twitter post, McCormick, a former Marine helicopter pilot and an E.R. physician, said he thought DeSantis was the best candidate for the presidential seat.
“We need a warrior who will do whatever it takes to champion conservative values and safeguard the next generation,” McCormick said.
“Gov. Ron DeSantis is battle-tested and ready to be our next president.”
In the video, McCormick said that, under what he called “Joe Biden’s failed leadership,” the United States had become weaker. “Our southern border is a wreck, crime is overrunning our cities, and our energy policy empowers communist China—who pollutes the world more than anyone else.”
“This election is about winning: Who can fight and win against the radical left and their allies in the media?” McCormick asked.
“Most of all, this election is not about the past, it’s about the future. Who can lift us up, who can inspire a nation, who can lead us forward?”
McCormick shared his conviction that DeSantis “will serve with dignity,” calling him a “bold conservative, a man of character and conviction, and a champion of our values.
“He’s our best chance, not only to beat Joe Biden, but to grow our party,” the Georgia Representative concluded.
DeSantis has been tipped for some time as a potentially successful Republican presidential candidate. To date, he has been endorsed by seven acting Representatives and eight former Representatives.
Georgia is a crucial battleground state, and has 16 electoral votes in the Electoral College for the state’s winning candidate in 2024.
The swing state played a major role in the last election when it narrowly handed Biden a win. Biden won 306 electoral votes compared to Trump’s tally of 232.
Trump initially took a narrow lead but unexpectedly fell behind as mail-in ballots poured in—a phenomenon that prompted Trump to refuse to accept the outcome of Georgia’s election.
A legal tussle ensued but, in the end, the election results were certified—despite data scientists testifying otherwise during a Georgia state Senate hearing.
Trump referred to the Georgia election outcome numerous times during his January 6 rally near the White House, again saying he was “defrauded” of a win.
Trump ended his Georgia lawsuits challenging the election results two days later, but has never accepted the result as legitimate.
