First New Hampshire State Senator Endorses Ron DeSantis

Republican presidential candidate Florida Governor Ron DeSantis greets guests during a tow
Adam Glanzman/For The Washington Post via Getty Images
Hannah Knudsen

New Hampshire State Sen. Regina Birdsell recently endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president, deeming the governor the “bold candidate we need” in an op-ed for the New Hampshire Journal.

“As the First in the Nation Primary, Granite Staters set the course of history. It is crucial we rally behind a candidate who not only can defeat Joe Biden — but who can elect Republicans up and down the ballot to deliver our shared values for the American people,” Birdsell wrote, describing DeSantis as someone who is “championing pro-growth policies, cutting red tape, and lowering taxes” and praising him for championing parental rights.

The Associated Press

Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey, walk in the July 4th parade, Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in Merrimack, N.H. (AP Photo/Reba Saldanha)

Birdsell made no mention of former President Donald Trump by name in her endorsement, concluding that DeSantis’s reelection victory in Florida over former Rep. Charlie Crist “proves he is the only candidate in this race capable of defeating Biden and electing Republicans up and down the ticket to advance our shared values.” She pointed to Miami-Dade county flipping red for DeSantis as a testament to that thought. Notably, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) also emerged victorious in traditionally blue Miami-Dade. 

Birdsell emphasized that DeSantis sticking by his wife Casey during her battle against breast cancer “moved” her the most. 

“His devotion to her is a testament to his character and integrity–the kind of moral leadership America has been sorely lacking for too many years,” she wrote. “Their journey showcased his strength of character, empathy, and unwavering support for his family.”

DeSantis’s team celebrated the endorsement —  which follows several of the governor’s trips to the state, including over the Fourth of July weekend — on social media:

The endorsement comes nearly two months after a confusing rollout of New Hampshire endorsements, which at the time led to one state lawmaker asserting that she no longer wanted anything to do with DeSantis.

As Breitbart News reported at the time:

Two of those four were state Rep. Juliet Harvey-Bolia and state Representative Lisa Smart. However, after the DeSantis team made the announcement, both of them clarified they were not endorsing DeSantis over Trump despite the efforts of Never Back Down to present it as such.

“I’m endorsing both,” Harvey-Bolia said, according to NBC News. She took the position that many other conservatives, including Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) have taken in the wake of a rumored DeSantis bid: Trump is good for the country now, and DeSantis is good for the country in the future.

…

Smart, meanwhile said after the snafu that not only is she is still supporting Trump wholly, despite Never Back Down PAC touting her name on this list, but that because of Never Back Down’s actions she will not have anything to do with DeSantis anymore and is now locked in firmly behind Trump.

Later that month, State Rep. Sandra Panek (R) switched support to Trump following DeSantis’s official campaign launch.

“After being less than impressed with Ron DeSantis’s official announcement last night, I am hereby switching my endorsement to President Donald J. Trump,” Panek said in a press release. “We can’t expect someone to run the country if they can’t properly run their own campaign launch.”

VIDEO: Technical Difficulties Plague DeSantis, Musk Twitter Spaces Campaign Launch:

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The latest Saint Anselm College Survey Center poll found Trump leading DeSantis in the Granite State by 28 points.

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