Campaign

DeSantis to stump for Ron Johnson, GOP gubernatorial nominees

by Caroline Vakil - 09/16/22 4:48 PM ET

Associated Press/Rebecca Blackwell
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference announcing expanded toll relief for Florida commuters, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in Miami, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) will be attending campaign events to boost Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Republican gubernatorial candidates Derek Schmidt in Kansas and Tim Michels in Wisconsin, the conservative group Turning Point Action announced on Friday.

The rallies, which are being hosted by Turning Point Action, will take place on Sunday, with the first stop in Olathe, Kan., followed by a second stop later that day in Green Bay, Wis.

“Governor DeSantis is America’s Governor and one of the most popular leaders in the country. He has become the model for a new conservative movement that is willing to stand on principle and to actually fight on behalf of the values of his voters,” Charlie Kirk, president and founder of Turning Point Action, said in a statement.

“That he is willing to throw the full weight of his support behind Ron Johnson and Tim Michels in Wisconsin and Derek Schmidt in Kansas will go a long way toward energizing the grassroots base and will help get these candidates over the finish line in November.”

Johnson’s team told The Hill the senator was not involved in the rally.

The Senate and gubernatorial races are among some of the most competitive for this election cycle. Johnson is considered one of the more vulnerable Republicans up for reelection in the Senate and his race has been rated as a “toss up” by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.

The Wisconsin and Kansas gubernatorial races have also been rated “toss ups” as Democratic Govs. Laura Kelly in Kansas and Tony Evers in Wisconsin fight for reelection.

DeSantis has widely been floated as a possible 2024 GOP presidential candidate and has further driven speculation as he’s stumped for candidates in key battleground states like Arizona, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

His wife, Casey DeSantis, has also attended campaign events — not particularly usual for a governor’s spouse. She participated in an event earlier this month in Nevada for Republican Senate hopeful Adam Laxalt, the first time she’s left Florida to campaign for a candidate.

Updated: 5:40 p.m.