Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds makes pitch for DeSantis in ads: 'He gets things done'

DES MOINES — The super PAC backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is taking Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to the airwaves in a pair of ads that feature Reynolds encouraging voters to support DeSantis.

The ads are part of a seven-figure ad buy in Iowa from Never Back Down. They are the first to feature Reynolds making a direct-to-camera pitch for DeSantis, who she endorsed for the Republican presidential nomination this month after months of public discord with the GOP front-runner, former President Donald Trump.

In the ads, Reynolds praises DeSantis’ approach to leadership and says a DeSantis presidency would mirror the direction of Iowa in recent years.

“Getting to know Ron and Casey and their children tells me everything I need to know about why Ron is who he is and accomplishes what he does,” Reynolds says in one of the ads, titled “Focused.” “Ron is focused, principled and results driven. He gets things done.”

In another ad, titled “Fight,” Reynolds says DeSantis is “fighting for our children, cutting taxes and standing up for common sense.”

“Ron is one of the most effective leaders I’ve ever seen, because it's not about him. It's about you,” Reynolds says in the ad. “He will fight for you, he will fight for our future, and he will win.”

DeSantis’ campaign last week released an ad that featured Reynolds making similar appeals to the Florida governor’s leadership and effectiveness, using clips from her speech when she endorsed him on Nov. 6.

The ads are another instance of Reynolds taking a high-profile role in DeSantis’ campaign as he seeks to build his support ahead of the first-in-the-nation caucuses. Reynolds has said she is going to be active on the campaign trail to help boost DeSantis’ support over the next two months.

She said at a campaign stop in Davenport this month she’s “ready to go to bat and do everything we can to get him elected the next president of the United States.”

Reynolds joined DeSantis on Saturday as he opened a campaign office in Urbandale. About a third of DeSantis’ staff has moved to Iowa as the campaign has put high importance on the outcome in the state. DeSantis has visited 98 of Iowa’s 99 counties and is expected to soon finish the full tour.

Recent polls of likely Iowa caucusgoers show DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley jockeying for a distant second place behind Trump. According to the FiveThirtyEight average of polls, Trump has nearly 45 percent of support of Iowa Republicans, while DeSantis has 17.5 percent and Haley has around 15 percent.

Also on Tuesday, Trump criticized Reynolds in a video message posted by the Team Trump account on X, formerly Twitter. He said Reynolds’ endorsement has given DeSantis “exactly zero bounce.”

Kim Reynolds is the most Unpopular Governor in America… pic.twitter.com/lmhwCJusEs

— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) November 21, 2023

“I wonder what position Kim was promised in order to back someone who is so far down in the polls?" Trump says in the video.

An Iowa State University Poll, conducted by Civiqs, found 63 percent of surveyed likely caucusgoers said Reynolds’ endorsement of DeSantis made no difference in who they support. About 13 percent said it made them more likely to support him while 22 percent said it made them less likely to support him.

Never Back Down Chief Operating Officer Kristin Davison said in an emailed statement Reynolds’ endorsement of the Florida governor was “historic” and has helped sway undecided caucusgoers.

“He has already proven he can win, fight, and lead in Florida by cutting taxes, lowering unemployment, fighting for life, and protecting parents’ rights and school choice, and he will do the same for the country,” Davison said. “Iowans have shown their support tenfold since Gov. Reynolds endorsed, with many undecided caucus goers joining her in committing to caucus for DeSantis.”