{"id":2090937,"date":"2023-11-05T11:34:04","date_gmt":"2023-11-05T16:34:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republican-presidential-candidates-appeal-for-support-at-florida-summit\/"},"modified":"2023-11-05T11:41:22","modified_gmt":"2023-11-05T16:41:22","slug":"republican-presidential-candidates-appeal-for-support-at-florida-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republican-presidential-candidates-appeal-for-support-at-florida-summit\/","title":{"rendered":"GOP candidates seek support at Florida summit."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frepublican-presidential-candidates-appeal-for-support-at-florida-summit%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2090937&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>KISSIMMEE, Fla.\u2013The Florida Freedom Summit: A Battle for the Spotlight<\/h2>\n<p>The Florida Freedom Summit presented a chance for the state\u2019s governor, Ron\u2062 DeSantis, to shine. And he did.<\/p>\n<p>Former President \u2064Donald Trump still commanded the biggest spotlight among speakers \u2064at \u200cthe state Republican Party\u2019s daylong event on \u2062Nov. 4.<\/p>\n<p>Although the audience of 1,500 people treated the governor \u2063to numerous rounds of\u200d cheering and applause, the crowd \u2063reacted \u200dmore intensely for the former president.<\/p>\n<p>Chants of \u201cTrump! Trump! Trump!\u201d echoed in the ballroom at the Gaylord Palms Resort here. At times, the audience laughed heartily at the former president&#8217;s jokes but turned stone \u200dsilent when he spoke of the threat of nuclear war and the nation&#8217;s \u2063immigration, economic, and social ills. No comparable responses happened\u2063 during Mr. DeSantis\u2019s\u200b speech.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200b summit marked \u2064the first time that \u2062these two GOP rivals shared the same\u2063 stage in their home state while vying\u200c for\u2062 their party\u2019s presidential nomination.<\/p>\n<p>President Trump\u200d seized the\u200d opportunity to mark Florida \u200bas his territory. He flaunted seven additional\u200b endorsements\u2062 from Florida politicians, including five state representatives who had defected from Mr. DeSantis\u2019s \u2063corner:\u200d Jessica Baker, Webster Barnaby, Alina Garcia, and Kevin Steele.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/florida-republicans-vow-to-stand-behind-house-israel-bill-in-pending-senate-clash-5523148?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><strong>Florida Republicans Vow to Stand Behind House Israel\u200c Bill in Pending Senate Clash<\/strong><\/a>  -\u2062 11\/4\/2023<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/desantis-suggests-rnc-not-nominate-trump-if-hes-convicted-5521916?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><strong>DeSantis \u2063Suggests\u200d RNC Not Nominate Trump If He&#8217;s Convicted<\/strong><\/a>  &#8211; 11\/2\/2023<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Two new \u2064endorsers are state representatives\u200b Mike Beltran and David\u2063 Borrero, according to \u200can article from\u200b The Messenger <a href=\"https:\/\/www.donaldjtrump.com\/news\/5b273d2c-e398-43d8-a4a5-8174b5ef4c7c\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">posted on President Trump\u2019s campaign\u200d website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Onstage, President Trump also pointed out that \u200bthe Nov. 2 endorsement from U.S. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was key, along with one from Florida Rep. \u200bRandy Fine.<\/p>\n<p>As endorsers clustered around him onstage, the\u2062 former president stood in front \u200cof lighted signage proclaiming, \u201cFlorida is Trump Country.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Similar signs are fixtures at Trump rallies. But those words seemed \u2064to\u2062 sting when displayed in the state where Mr. DeSantis serves as\u2063 the state\u2019s \u200bchief executive.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, while the governor spoke, some signs declared, \u201cFlorida is DeSantis\u200d Country.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Endorsements and Loyalty<\/h2>\n<p>When reporters asked Mr. DeSantis about the state lawmakers \u2064who \u201cflipped\u201d\u200b and endorsed \u2063President Trump over him, the governor said, \u201cWe\u2019ve had \u2018flips\u2019 the other way, in other states. It\u2019s a dynamic \u200dthing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He then pointed to out-of-state endorsers who apparently admired his accomplishments in Florida, which included\u200b improving the economy, attracting\u2063 new residents, and reducing the crime rate.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. DeSantis has collected a handful of congressional endorsements, including Rep. Laurel Lee \u200cof Florida, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/projects.fivethirtyeight.com\/2024-election-endorsements\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FiveThirtyEight.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The leaders of both \u2064chambers of the Florida \u200blegislature, Rep. Paul Renner\u2062 and\u200c Sen. Kathleen Passidomo,\u200c have endorsed Mr. DeSantis, \u2062along\u2062 with Attorney General Ashley Moody.<\/p>\n<p>Still, President\u2064 Trump\u2019s assortment of endorsements dwarfs Mr. DeSantis\u2019s, the website shows.<\/p>\n<p>During\u200c his \u200d81-minute speech, President Trump took his usual digs at Mr. DeSantis, primarily his beef over Mr. DeSantis being \u201cdisloyal.\u201d President Trump says his\u2063 endorsement of Mr. DeSantis lofted\u2063 him\u2063 to his first \u200bgubernatorial victory in 2019. But Mr. DeSantis turned around and ran against him in the current\u200c presidential\u2064 campaign.<\/p>\n<p>When President Trump said that voters apparently \u201cdo care about loyalty,\u201d the crowd \u200dapplauded in\u200b agreement.<\/p>\n<h2>Critics Get Booed<\/h2>\n<p>Mr. DeSantis had ramped up his\u200d verbal jabs against President Trump in recent weeks, accusing him of lacking the\u200b courage to debate his \u2063fellow\u2062 Republicans.\u2062 He also\u2063 said President Trump should exit the presidential contest if he \u200bis convicted\u200b of any of the 91 criminal charges he faces.<\/p>\n<p>But \u200dMr. DeSantis didn&#8217;t even come\u2062 close to making those types of headline-grabbing \u2063declarations during his speech at the \u2062summit. Mr. DeSantis \u2062made only obtuse references to President\u2064 Trump, such as: \u201cAs a leader, I always conduct myself in a way that you can be proud of,\u201d an apparent contrast to\u200c President Trump\u2019s brash\u200d behavior.<\/p>\n<p>He made no direct hits on the former president. Perhaps that\u2063 was because Mr.\u2062 DeSantis was trying to avoid irking the crowd, as a \u200dpair \u2062of Trump critics had earlier in the day, some audience members\u2063 suggested.<\/p>\n<p>Two \u200bother presidential hopefuls\u2013Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and former New Jersey\u200d Gov. Chris Christie\u2013drew angry\u200d shouts, taunts, and booing after they criticized President Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Hutchinson\u200c told The Epoch Times he expected such a response. But Mr. Hutchinson felt he needed to make people aware\u200d that\u200d a conviction of President Trump could cause lasting damage to the Republican Party.<\/p>\n<p>Audience members dismissed those concerns, saying they \u2062think President Trump will \u200dsomehow prevail or \u200bcould be pardoned; \u2063if he is convicted and \u2063then elected president, he could\u2064 pardon\u2063 himself for federal crimes but not offenses charged under state law.<\/p>\n<p>Legal woes notwithstanding, President \u200cTrump remains the \u200cundisputed frontrunner as he seeks the\u200c GOP nomination for the third \u200dtime.<\/p>\n<p>All \u200dof his challengers, including Mr.\u200d DeSantis, are running far behind in opinion polls. President Trump is outdistancing Mr. DeSantis by 46 points \u200dnationally, according to RealClear Politics; in \u200dFlorida, President \u200dTrump was 35 percentage points ahead of\u200d the\u200b governor a month\u2062 ago, \u2063according to pollsters Fabrizio, Lee &#038; Associates.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2063 third-place opponent in most \u200cpolls, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, canceled her appearance at\u200c the summit but an organizer\u2063 said she was unable to say why.<\/p>\n<p>Conference attendee John \u2063Hearton of Satellite Beach, Florida, who is running for Congress, told\u2064 The Epoch Times he sees an enthusiasm gap between President Trump and the other candidates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen Trump holds an event,\u2062 it\u2019s really \u200can event. Huge numbers of people show up, and they\u2019re enthusiastic about \u200cit,\u201d Mr. Hearton said. \u201cNo candidate\u200b in this race inspires\u2064 that kind of response other than Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Like vs. Love<\/h2>\n<p>Debbie Diorio, of Celebration, Florida, marked her 62nd birthday by coming \u2062to hear President Trump speak at the\u200c summit\u2014the first time \u200dshe has attended one of his speeches in person.<\/p>\n<p>After learning that Mr. Hutchinson \u2064had been booed \u200cafter predicting that\u2064 a jury would likely convict President \u200cTrump of a felony next year, Ms. Diorio opined: \u201cHe \u200cshould not have said that\u2014not\u2063 here. I mean, you\u2019re in\u200d a Republican convention, \u200dand everybody loves Trump.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She thinks most attendees at the event feel the\u200d same way she does about the two men. They\u2064 like their governor. But they love President Trump, she said.<\/p>\n<p>Spence Rogers, 44, a married father of three who lives in the Tampa Bay area, now \u200bsupports Mr. DeSantis although he\u2064 had been a fervent supporter of President Trump.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Rogers worked on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/marriott-att-airbnbheres-the-list-of-corporations-announcing-they-wont-donate-to-gop-lawmakers-who-objected-to-electoral-votes-from-contested-states\/\" title=\"Marriott, AT&#038;T, Airbnb\u2026Here\u2019s The List Of Corporations Announcing They Won\u2019t Donate To GOP Lawmakers Who Objected To Electoral Votes From Contested States\">political action committee<\/a>\u2063 and served as a 2016 delegate for then-candidate Donald Trump at the Republican National \u2063Convention.<\/p>\n<p>Despite current polling, Mr. Rogers believes Mr. DeSantis can win the party\u2019s nomination and the \u2064presidency. He \u200dpointed to past candidates who have\u2064 been \u200dbehind but then surged ahead.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like that he\u2063 wins elections by\u2063 large numbers, and he follows through on what he says he\u2019s \u200dgoing to do,\u201d Mr. \u2063Rogers\u200c said.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, Mr. DeSantis won reelection by\u2064 about 19 percentage points over his Democrat challenger\u2013the largest \u200dsuch margin in four decades.<\/p>\n<h2>Appreciation for DeSantis<\/h2>\n<p>Toward the end of Mr. DeSantis\u2019 speech, the crowd hopped to its feet \u201cabout 30 times,\u201d Mr. Rogers \u200bsaid.\u200c He was among \u2062those cheering fans.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Rogers and his wife, Angela, \u2063dismissed suggestions that Mr. DeSantis might not be prepared for the presidency.<\/p>\n<p>They point out that many people are happy with how he has run Florida, one of the nation\u2019s most-populous \u2063states, with almost 23\u200b million residents.<\/p>\n<p>Mrs. Rogers said: \u201cWe have \u200cseen him go through the fire\u2064 for\u2062 us\u200b in Florida and he comes \u2063out\u2064 solid every time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She is tired of hearing President Trump \u201cbellyache\u201d over\u2063 the 2020 election. He \u200bhas never conceded defeat to \u2062Democrat Joe \u2063Biden, who was declared the winner. Mrs. Rogers said that she shares many of President Trump\u2019s \u2063concerns about the way the election was conducted.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI sympathize,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I\u200d feel like it\u2019s a distraction.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Even so, one of the biggest applause lines of\u2063 the night came when \u200bPresident Trump declared, \u201cCrooked Joe Biden\u2019s Banana Republic ends on Nov. 5, 2024.\u201d That\u2019s Election Day, \u200dwhen President Trump hopes to be on the \u200dballot as the \u200bRepublican nominee and beat President Biden\u2014or any Democrat who might replace him.<\/p>\n<h2>&#8216;Nasty Tweets&#8217; Aside<\/h2>\n<p>Maryellen Kirkwood \u2062of Sarasota, who was wearing a \u201cTrump Was Right\u201d button on her blouse, said she admires his resiliency.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDespite being attacked on \u200ball sides, he still was able to\u2062 really accomplish \u2064a lot of his agenda,\u201d she told The \u2063Epoch\u2062 Times. The nation was less-dependent on foreign oil. Immigration laws were \u2063being enforced. The economy was stronger.<\/p>\n<p>And \u201cwe all had the \u2062general feeling \u2063we were part of \u200cthis country as\u2062 one, \u200bas Americans, in spite \u200bof the\u2064 nasty tweets and all of that,\u201d she said, referring to\u200c the\u200b former president\u2019s \u200dpast habit of posting biting commentary\u200b on Twitter, now known as X.<\/p>\n<p>In a press conference after filing his candidacy for the Florida primary, \u200bMr. DeSantis called\u200d President Trump\u2019s campaign attacks \u201cnonsense.&#8221; He said \u2062he was \u201cdone with all\u200d of the trivialities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy view is we&#8217;ve got a job to\u200d do,\u201d Mr. DeSantis said. \u201cWe&#8217;ve got a country \u2063that we have to fight for. &#8230; And we need somebody who&#8217;s going\u200b to be able to lead the country \u2063to a great comeback.\u200d So that&#8217;s what we&#8217;re \u2062focused on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>President Trump, who also filed his paperwork for the Florida ballot, declared: &#8220;It is time for \u200cthe Republican establishment to stop wasting time and money.\u201d Instead, the party should\u2063 throw its support to\u200b &#8220;the only candidate \u200cthat can \u2062withstand the attacks of the\u2062 radical Left.&#8221; Everyone in the audience knew he was \u2063referring to himself.<\/p>\n<p>President Trump made that\u2064 remark just days before the Republican National\u200c Committee is slated to hold its third and final debate for its \u20622024 GOP presidential hopefuls.\u200d The event is\u2064 set for Miami\u2063 on Nov. 8. That same evening, President Trump scheduled a rally to be held in nearby Hialeah, Florida.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s not counter-programming,&#8221; he joked. &#8220;It&#8217;s a coincidence.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does Governor\u2064 DeSantis&#8217; rising star status and support for President \u2064Trump affect his chances \u200bof securing \u200dthe party&#8217;s nomination\u2063 in\u2063 2024?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  That President Trump\u2019s\u2062 endorsement should\u200d not be taken as a default\u2063 endorsement\u200b for any future presidential\u2063 run.<\/p>\n<p>These <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republican-presidential-candidates-appeal-for-support-at-florida-summit\/\" title=\"GOP candidates seek support at Florida summit.\">remarks drew \u2062boos<\/a> and jeers from the crowd at the Freedom Summit, indicating their continued support and loyalty to President Trump.<\/p>\n<p>The battle for the spotlight at the Florida Freedom Summit\u200b sheds light\u2063 on the deep\u200d divisions within the Republican\u2063 Party as it looks toward the 2024 presidential election. While both Governor \u200dDeSantis and President Trump have their share of supporters, it is \u2064evident that President Trump still holds a significant sway over the party base.<\/p>\n<p>The endorsements, applause, and\u200c cheers that President Trump received at the summit are a testament \u2064to his \u2062enduring popularity among Republicans. Despite leaving office nearly four years ago, he maintains a strong presence\u200d in the party \u200band remains a powerful figure.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand,\u2063 Governor DeSantis is seen as a rising star within the party. His handling of the COVID-19 pandemic \u2064in\u2064 Florida, conservative policies, \u2064and unwavering support for former President Trump have endeared him to many Republicans. However, he\u200c still faces the\u2064 challenge of stepping out from under \u200bPresident Trump&#8217;s shadow and establishing his own identity within \u200cthe \u200dparty.<\/p>\n<p>The\u200d battle for\u200d endorsements and\u2063 loyalty within the\u2064 party is a\u2062 crucial \u200caspect of \u200dthe <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hunter-biden-plea-desantis-slams-sweetheart-deal-as-double-standard\/\" title=\"DeSantis criticizes Hunter Biden's plea as unfair.\">political landscape leading<\/a> \u200cup\u2064 to the 2024 presidential election. The support\u2063 of key figures can significantly impact a candidate&#8217;s chances\u200c of success, and \u200bboth Governor DeSantis and President Trump\u200d are vying for these \u200bendorsements.<\/p>\n<p>As the Florida Freedom Summit revealed, President Trump currently holds the edge in terms\u200c of endorsements \u200dand popularity among party members. However, this is a fluid and ever-changing landscape,\u200d and the dynamics could shift \u200cin the future. Governor DeSantis still has time\u2064 to rally \u200dsupport and build his own network of endorsements as he seeks to secure the party&#8217;s nomination in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>The battle for the spotlight at the Florida Freedom Summit exemplifies\u200b the broader struggle for dominance within \u2064the\u200b Republican Party. As the party looks ahead to the\u2062 2024 presidential election, it will grapple\u200b with \u2064the question\u200b of whether to continue following the path set by President\u2064 Trump or\u200c forge\u200d a new direction under leaders like Governor DeSantis.<\/p>\n<p>Regardless of the outcome,\u2063 the battle for the spotlight between Governor \u2064DeSantis and President Trump serves as a reminder that\u200b the\u200c Republican Party is undergoing a significant transformation. The choices made\u2062 in \u2062the coming years will shape the party&#8217;s \u200dfuture and determine its ability to appeal to a changing electorate.<\/p>\n<p>As\u2062 the Florida Freedom \u200bSummit came to a close, it was clear that while \u200bGovernor DeSantis had a strong showing and \u2062impressed the crowd, President \u200cTrump still loomed large in the minds \u2063of\u200d party members. The battle for the spotlight continues, \u200cand\u200d only time\u200c will \u200ctell \u2062who will ultimately emerge \u2063as the frontrunner for \u200dthe Republican Party&#8217;s \u200bpresidential nomination\u200d in 2024.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>KISSIMMEE, Fla.\u2013Florida Freedom Summit showcased Governor Ron DeSantis&#8217; brilliance. However, former President Donald Trump stole the limelight at the state Republican Party&#8217;s daylong event on Nov. 4. Despite this, the governor received immense support from the 1,500-strong audience, who cheered him on repeatedly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2537,"featured_media":2090938,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2090937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2090937","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2537"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2090937"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2090937\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2090938"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2090937"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2090937"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2090937"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}