Florida men: Kat Cammack speaks out on looming DeSantis-Trump battle
Julia Johnson
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Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) is not ready to choose between former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) just yet despite mounting pressure after several of her fellow Florida delegation members endorsed earlier this month.
“I’ve had great, productive conversations with both Gov. DeSantis and President Trump,” the Florida congresswoman told the Washington Examiner in an interview.
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“I think both of them are great guys,” she added. “And I think we’re going to continue to have conversations.”
While Cammack wouldn’t choose between the two men, she said, “The one thing that I can tell you for sure is that the next president of the United States will be a Floridian.”
So far, Trump boasts 11 endorsements from Florida representatives. Florida is home to 28 U.S. representatives, 20 of whom are Republicans.
Cammack is one of only eight Florida Republican representatives who has yet to make an endorsement for 2024.
Notably, DeSantis has not yet launched a presidential campaign. However, he is widely expected to announce a 2024 bid as early as mid-May. This month, he paid visits to two key early primary states, New Hampshire and South Carolina, speaking in both. He also made a relatively rare visit to Washington, D.C., where he met with Republican lawmakers.
According to one report, DeSantis’s political team began reaching out to members of Florida’s delegation earlier this month after several of them announced Trump endorsements. NBC News reported that DeSantis’s team urged several representatives to avoid making endorsements in the near future.
Cammack was reported as one of the members who were called. It also said GOP Reps. Aaron Bean, Vern Buchanan, Mario Diaz-Balart, Laurel Lee, and Greg Steube were called.
Since the report, Steube and Buchanan both issued endorsements for Trump.
However, Lee became the first Florida representative to endorse the state’s governor last week.
“As Ron DeSantis’s Secretary of State, I had the honor of witnessing firsthand his unparalleled leadership under pressure, his character and his commitment to core conservative principles,” she said. “His leadership and his vision made Florida a shining beacon of freedom. Ron DeSantis fights for what matters, and he wins when it matters most.”
DeSantis has also earned the support of Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Thomas Massie (R-KY).
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All eyes are on the remaining Florida Republican representatives as they decide on a 2024 position. Cammack may not be endorsing Trump or DeSantis right now, but she made it clear that the choice is between the two.
As of Tuesday, Trump was polling at 58% in a hypothetical 2024 Republican primary. DeSantis is the only contender to also reach double digits, with 21%, per Morning Consult.