Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds was once considered one of the GOP’s rising stars. Last year, she delivered the GOP’s official response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address.
Now, former President Donald Trump has declared “the end of her political career” amid her reported plan to endorse a political rival.
Reynolds plans to endorse Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president, two people familiar with the matter told the Associated Press on Sunday.
Former President Donald Trump, the GOP’s leading candidate, went on social media to slam Reynolds.
“If and when Kim Reynolds of Iowa endorses Ron DeSanctimonious, who is absolutely dying in the polls both in Iowa and Nationwide, it will be the end of her political career in that MAGA would never support her again, just as MAGA will never support DeSanctimonious again,” Trump said Sunday on Truth Social.
The Trump campaign’s spokesperson didn’t hold back, either.
“Kim Reynolds apparently has begun her retirement tour early as she clearly does not have any ambition for higher office,” the Trump campaign said in a statement emailed to the Associated Press. “Earlier this year, she promised her constituents that she would remain neutral in the race, yet she has completely gone back on that promise. Regardless, her endorsement will not make any difference in this race.”
Iowa’s governor typically stays neutral before the caucuses that kick off the Republicans’ nomination calendar in January. By endorsing DeSantis this early, Reynolds would break longstanding tradition… and she would break her own promise.
Reynolds told the Des Moines Register in February, “I want to welcome everyone to this state… And if I weigh in, I don’t know if they’ll feel all that welcome.”
In July, Trump took credit for Reynolds’ ascent to the governor’s mansion. He nominated the previous governor to a federal position, and he later endorsed Reynolds in her successful campaign to remain in office.
“I opened up the Governor position for Kim Reynolds,” Trump said on Truth Social in July. “I ENDORSED her, did big Rallies, & she won. Now, she wants to remain ‘NEUTRAL,”
Trump added on Sunday, “I told her that I should have “remained neutral” when she asked me to help her get elected.”
DeSantis is competing with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley to emerge in the leadoff contest, just 10 weeks away, as a viable alternative to Trump, who remains the heavy favorite to win Iowa.
A month ago, DeSantis sent about 20 of his Tallahassee-based campaign headquarters staff to Iowa. The super political action committee supporting him, Never Back Down, has had roughly two dozen staff reaching out to would-be caucus participants since the summer.
Reynolds had introduced DeSantis at political events in Iowa and appeared with Florida first lady Casey DeSantis — without publicly declaring her support. But the governor often noted her shared policy priorities and accomplishments, including a bill limiting abortion to the first six weeks of pregnancy.
Like DeSantis, Reynolds boasts a high favorability rating in her own state but also suffers from a high disapproval rating, according to Morning Consult’s most recent poll of governors.
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.