Campaign

Another Florida Republican endorses Trump

by Julia Shapero - 04/18/23 3:29 PM ET

Greg Nash
Rep. John Rutherford (R-Fla.) is seen as the House votes to adjourn on the second day of the 118th session of Congress on Wednesday, January 4, 2023. The House held three more ballots for Speaker, with neither Reps. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) or Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) getting enough votes.

Rep. John Rutherford endorsed former President Trump’s 2024 White House bid on Tuesday, becoming the latest Florida Republican to back the former president against expected primary opponent Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

“Today, I am proud to endorse my friend, President Donald J. Trump,” Rutherford said in a tweet. “As a former Sheriff, I understand the importance of a fair and impartial system of justice. The systematic targeting of Americans with conservative ideals, especially our 45th President of the United States, disgraces our nation’s legacy.”

The congressman was referring to Trump’s historic arraignment earlier this month, which saw the former president charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records over a 2016 hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

“As strong Republicans, we must restore Law, Order, and Justice to our country, and President Trump is the right person to do it,” Rutherford continued. “Under President Trump’s leadership, America was more safe, more secure, and more prosperous, and as the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump will Make America Great Again!”

The Florida Republican is the sixth of his state’s 20-member GOP delegation to endorse the former president. Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) announced his endorsement of Trump on Monday, joining fellow Florida Reps. Cory Mills, Anna Paulina Luna, Byron Donalds and Matt Gaetz.

DeSantis has not yet thrown his hat into the ring, but he is widely viewed as Trump’s strongest opponent for the GOP nomination.

Like Rutherford, Mills pointed to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s (D) charges against Trump in his endorsement.

“I think that what’s happening in New York is a very unifying event,” Mills told Time magazine last week. “We need to stop the infighting and come together and unify. And I think right now the person that we need to be unifying behind is President Trump.”