Christians react after DeSantis drops out, endorses Trump

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Monday, January 22, 2024

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Sunday announcement that he will drop out of contention for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and endorse former president and current frontrunner Donald Trump has drawn the reactions of conservative Christian and political leaders. 

DeSantis’ departure comes as his campaign spent much time in Iowa, resulting in a second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses last week, where he secured 21% support to Trump’s 51% and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley’s 19%. 

“Now, following our second-place finish in Iowa, we’ve prayed and deliberated on the way forward,” DeSantis said in a video announcement.

“If there was anything I could do to produce a favorable outcome, more campaign stops, more interviews, I would do it.”

“But I can’t ask our supporters to volunteer their time and donate their resources. We don’t have a clear path to victory. Accordingly, I am today suspending my campaign.”

The Florida governor said it is “clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance,” adding that “Trump is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden.”

“He has my endorsement because we can’t go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, or repackage form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents,” DeSantis said.

Here are four reactions from prominent conservative Christians in response to the DeSantis announcement. 

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