DeSantis confronts Hill GOP skepticism he can beat Trump

Another two of the nine lawmakers listed as co-hosts of the event harmonized with Lee: “I’m not endorsing anybody. I just think it’s always good to see who’s out there,” Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-Iowa) said, adding that he participated because of his home state’s first-in-the-nation GOP primary slot. “I support any person who wants to throw their hat in the ring.”

“I’m not co-hosting — I’m a special guest,” quipped Rep. Darin LaHood (R-Ill.) when asked Tuesday about his involvement. He has also not endorsed in the 2024 primary.

The DeSantis-Hill GOP meeting marks the start of a charged battle for the attention of congressional Republicans between the party’s two presumed presidential frontrunners. The favor of GOP lawmakers won’t determine the nominee, but it remains critical to campaign-trail buzz and earned media: The open distaste Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) drew from most of his Senate colleagues, for example, hurt him in the 2016 primary fight with Trump.

And institutional support still acts as a crucial validator, particularly for a nascent candidate like DeSantis, who has faced nagging questions about his viability after recent stumbles. Just three House Republicans — and no senators — have endorsed DeSantis, compared to dozens for Trump, although Tuesday’s event is the first signal that the Florida governor is looking to change that.

“Trump’s a known quantity. He’s not. I think he would probably benefit from sitting down and talking to people,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) of DeSantis. “Trump’s in a good spot. I think DeSantis brings a lot to the table and it would be a serious challenge for President Trump.”

Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) said in an interview on Tuesday afternoon she would attend the event as well, making her the second senator to meet with DeSantis. Asked if her appearance equaled an endorsement, she replied: “Not yet.”

“Tim Scott is forming an exploratory committee. And … Ron DeSantis and I were very good friends in the House,” Lummis said. “We’re still in the kind of stay-tuned phase.”

Despite the desire for new blood at the top of the ticket, Hill Republicans still prioritize avoiding Trump’s anger. And the general hesitancy to back DeSantis, who still has not officially declared his intent to run, underscores a persistent reality in GOP politics that he will have to confront: Crossing the former president remains a risky endeavor. Trump and his team are paying close attention to which members have — or have not — backed his campaign, and have been strategically rolling out endorsements from inside the Capitol in recent weeks.

There was at least one exception, though: First-term Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), who served as DeSantis’ secretary of state until she was elected last November, endorsed DeSantis just hours before the event was set to begin Tuesday.

“His leadership and his vision made Florida a shining beacon of freedom,” Lee said in a statement, becoming the first in the Florida delegation to back him.

Trump’s team, though, had an answer for that. His campaign had already rolled out his endorsement from Rep. John Rutherford of Florida hours earlier, the second from the state’s delegation within 24 hours. (Rep. Greg Steube endorsed Trump on Monday night).

Across the Capitol, Trump has nearly doubled his Senate endorsements over the past month, with nine senators now endorsing him — roughly 20 percent of the conference. That support includes Graham, Tennessee Sens. Bill Hagerty and Marsha Blackburn, as well as Sens. Ted Budd of North Carolina, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, J.D. Vance of Ohio and Eric Schmitt of Missouri.

And there may be more on the way.

“I think Trump will clean them up. I think the polls are pretty indicative of where most would be. Despite Trump’s challenges, he was the original,” said Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), who hasn’t endorsed a presidential candidate.

And Trump started wooing members months ago. He recently held a 3.5-hour dinner with GOP lawmakers over the weekend while he was in Nashville for the RNC retreat, where he ate with Hagerty, Blackburn and Tennessee GOP Reps. Chuck Fleischmann, John Rose and Diana Harshbarger, according to Fleischmann.

“I don’t know many people going to the DeSantis event,” Fleischmann said on Tuesday afternoon, a day after he formally endorsed the former president. “I think he and the other candidates who might seek to challenge President Trump for the nomination are going to realize very, very quickly that it’s Trump’s nomination.”

Several House Republicans, when asked on Tuesday if they planned to attend the DeSantis meet-and-greet, cited vague scheduling conflicts.

Another early Trump endorser, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), called the gathering “a meeting for supporters of the governor’s 2024 presidential aspirations” but declined to comment further beyond saying: “I wish the governor well.”

It’s not yet clear exactly how many members will attend the DeSantis event: People familiar with the planning offered a variety of numbers when asked about attendance. Some GOP lawmakers on Tuesday said they hadn’t yet decided whether to go, given the busy week in D.C.

The “special guests” listed on the invitation include Feenstra, LaHood, Reps. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) and Bob Good (R-Va.) as well as Sens. Lee and Lummis — in addition to Reps. Lee, Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Chip Roy (R-Texas), all of whom have formally endorsed the Florida governor.

In a brief interview, Massie suggested that some members might fear their Trump-supporting voters would turn on them if they endorsed the former president’s potential opponent. He also appeared to suggest that some lawmakers might be looking for a quid-pro-quo as they try to get through their own elections.

“I think when somebody comes out for DeSantis, it’s meaningful to DeSantis,” said Massie, who once fought for his own Trump endorsement back home. ‘When somebody comes out for Trump, it’s meaningful for the person who’s endorsing Trump, not necessarily Trump.”

At least one Republican who doesn’t plan to attend, though, said he’s happy the Florida governor is here — and happy he’s apparently looking to enter the race.

“I met him, great guy … But I’ve already got my candidate,” said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), who has endorsed former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. “We got a good stable to pick from … This will be competitive. We gotta win in 2024. We gotta change course.”

Olivia Beavers contributed.