Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Saturday that he would consider Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds as a potential running mate—should he secure the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
“Of course,” Mr. DeSantis answered when asked whether he would consider the second-term Republican. “I mean, she’s one of the top public servants in America,” he said of Ms. Reynolds, who enjoys immense popularity among the state’s GOP base.
The Florida governor also took the opportunity to dismiss former President Donald Trump’s recent attacks on her as “totally out of hand.”
Mr. Trump criticized Ms. Reynolds over her decision to “remain neutral” in the 2024 GOP primary process—despite his supporting her 2022 re-election campaign.
The former president had taken credit for opening the governorship to Ms. Reynolds, who stepped into the role after Republican Gov. Terry Branstad was made U.S. ambassador to China during the Trump administration.
“I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds, & when she fell behind, I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, & she won,” Trump wrote on Truth Social last week. “Now, she wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL.’ I don’t invite her to events!”
“DeSanctus down 45 points!” Mr. Trump added, referring to the polling numbers of Mr. DeSantis, his most prominent competitor for the GOP presidential nomination.
The Florida governor rejected Mr. Trump’s comments during an event in Ankeny, Iowa. “I thought the attacks on her were totally, totally out of hand and totally unnecessary,” he said.
Mr. Trump’s comments came amid reported frustrations from his campaign that Ms. Reynolds’ political relationship with Mr. DeSantis was becoming too cozy.
While Ms. Reynolds has moderated conversations with DeSantis and his wife Casey DeSantis, she has also appeared with other GOP White House prospects, while also attending Mr. Trump’s first campaign event in Iowa last March.
DeSantis noted that he and Reynolds do banter over their similar records and the playful rivalry between the two states, where conservative policy has moved ahead swiftly this year.
“Anybody who is a Republican who is trying to denigrate her is way off base on that,” DeSantis told reporters, after headlining a fundraiser in suburban Des Moines for U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn.
Ms. Reynolds was greeted with a sustained standing ovation when she appeared at a presidential candidate forum in the city on Friday. The event was attended by DeSantis and four other presidential hopefuls, with Ms. Reynolds using the occasion to sign a strict abortion ban before the audience of roughly 2,000 Christian conservatives.
DeSantis signed a similar bill in April, which is currently being held up amid legal challenges.
Given her widespread popularity in the state and further afield, Ms. Reynolds had been touted as a potential presidential candidate—a rumor that she dismissed earlier this year in an interview with the Des Moines Register.
“No,” Ms. Reynolds replied when asked whether she’d run. “I’ll tell you, I love what we’re doing here in Iowa, and hopefully, I continue to make it pretty clear we’re not done. So I’m going to continue to ask and encourage candidates to come to Iowa, highlight what we’re doing here in the state and look for ways that we can continue to keep our national profile rising.”
The Hawkeye State will host the lead-off presidential caucuses in less than six months.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
