Ron DeSantis (R) is rocking the boat.
The Florida Governor issued a last-minute endorsement in Kentucky’s contentious Republican gubernatorial primary on Monday, throwing his support behind former U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft.
“Hello, this is Governor Ron DeSantis, coming to you from the free state of Florida. You’ve had a woke, liberal governor who’s put a radical agenda ahead of Kentuckians. The stakes couldn’t be higher. I know what it takes to stand up for what’s right, and Kelly Craft’s got it. She’s proven it,” DeSantis said in a recorded statement shared with Fox News Digital.
“I’m strongly encouraging you to go out and vote for my friend, Kelly Craft. Kelly shares the same vision we do in Florida. She will stand up to the left as they try to indoctrinate our children with their woke ideology. Kelly will fight against crazy ESG policies that are trying to end the coal industry in Kentucky. And Kelly’s going to do everything in her power to end the fentanyl crisis that is hurting Kentucky families,” he said.
In a statement to Fox News, Craft said she was “honored and grateful” to have DeSantis’ support, and praised his leadership of Florida.
“He sets the example for Republican leaders around the nation because he delivers bold, conservative results. Kentucky needs to look more like Florida instead of California, and I look forward to ushering in a new generation of conservative leadership as Governor of Kentucky,” she said.
However, Donald Trump backed Craft’s opponent, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, early on in the race.
The race is widely viewed as a bellwether for Republican chances at taking back the White House and Senate in 2024. DeSantis’ last-minute endorsement of Craft ahead of Tuesday’s Republican primary pits him squarely against former President Donald Trump as he seeks to test the strength of his own endorsement after being blamed by some Republicans for the GOP’s disappointing 2022 midterms results.
Fellow Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has also endorsed Craft.
Craft and Cameron are facing a crowded field of 10 other Republican candidates, including Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles.
The winner of Tuesday’s contest will go on to face Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear in the November general election.
