DeSantis Campaign Press Release - WTAS: DeSantis Surrogates Highlight His Hard Work and Conservative Record Before CNN Debate

DES MOINES, Iowa – First Lady Casey DeSantis and conservative leaders backing Ron DeSantis are taking to the airwaves highlighting his hard work in the Hawkeye State and his track record of winning big fights for the American people in preparation for his CNN debate with Nikki Haley.

First Lady Casey DeSantis on KCCI

"Ron will not let you down."

Chip Roy on The Lead with Jake Tapper, CNN

"I just want to see the governor keep doing what he's been doing since I've been on the campaign trail with him and as long as he has been in office standing up for the people that he represents. He's done a phenomenal job. There's a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of energy. He's on the right trajectory. With all due respect, Governor Haley's been stumbling. It's hardly been a day over the last two weeks where there hasn't been a gaffe where she's basically mocking the people of Iowa saying the people in New Hampshire need to correct Iowans. I think we'll see tonight in the debate, some pretty good exchanges."

Senator Josh Kimbrell on CNN

"You're right, a lot of people raise their eyebrows when they hear South Carolina Senator endorsing the governor of Florida over the former governor of South Carolina. There's reason for that. I'm a native South Carolinian born and raised here lived here my whole life and been involved in politics even back during the Halley administration. And Ron DeSantis is the conservative that Hayley always claimed to be. Governor Haley, unfortunately, campaigned as a conservative didn't really govern as a conservative and Governor DeSantis campaigned and governed as a conservative. So there's an authenticity question at play here."

Congressman Thomas Massie on CNN

"Like he says, Donald trump is running on his issues, Nikki Haley is running on her donors' issues, and Ron DeSantis is running on the people's issues. The biggest contrast that I see is under Trump, we saw our national debt go up eight trillion dollars, whereas in Florida in that same period of time, Ron DeSantis brought down their debt down 25%."

Deputy Campaign Manager David Polyansky on CNN

"Nikki Haley has stopped taking questions from voters, and certainly from the press. Tonight, she's not going to be able to hide like she has in past debates. And on this stage tonight, Governor DeSantis will force her to answer those tough questions and to defend her failed record."

Bob Vander Plaats on Newsmax

"A combined [$44 million] of ads have gone against DeSantis by Donald Trump and Nikki Haley — because they see him as the clear alternative to the former president."

Congressman Chip Roy on I'm Right with Jesse Kelly

"The media doesn't like Ron DeSantis, because frankly, the guy has delivered. He's delivered at every level in Florida, whether you're talking about taking on Anthony Fauci when President Trump gave him a commendation on the way out of office after shutting down the greatest economy in the history of the world, forcing vaccines and mandates on people, mask mandates and shutting down schools. Governor DeSantis was a beacon of hope. He opened his economy up. People moved to Florida. That's the kind of leadership we want. I want a guy that sent a plane load of illegal aliens to Martha's Vineyard, helping us actually save the election when the Republicans were on their heels. That's leadership."

Congressman Chip Roy on the Steve Deace Show

"Governor DeSantis is the only guy I've seen in my lifetime, going all the way back to Ronald Reagan, that I can be extremely excited about not just who he is but what he's doing; not just what he's doing, but who he is. All of that together is what leadership actually looks like. And on the campaign trail, people are seeing that, they're responding to that, they get it."

Congressman Chip Roy on The Story with Martha Macallum, Fox News

"The governor has done really hard work hitting all 99 counties, 240 events. He's been shaking hands meeting with people. I was out yesterday traveling with Casey DeSantis. We met with rooms it was with 15 people, 25 people, 20 people all throughout southeast Iowa, on the bus in the snow coming back last night. We were having lots of conversation with folks who, frankly, they want a vision going forward. We just saw in your all's previous segment, all of the focus and the attention on the president's legal issues in this election is very much becoming about his issues. And for Nikki Haley, with all due respect, they're about her donors' issues. And for Governor DeSantis, they're about the people's issues. And we talk about those to the people. We talk about border security and how he's delivered. And we talk about spending, standing up to Anthony Fauci, driving the debt down by 25% in Florida. People are excited about somebody who can deliver without all the drama. And with all due respect to Nikki Haley, saying that you shouldn't have to lie to get elected, or whatever her quote was, on this stage last night, she looked at the people, and she said that she didn't look at Hillary Clinton as an inspiration. If you literally listened to her own book that she recorded in her own voice, she described Hillary Clinton as an inspiration. If that's true, just own it."

Deputy Campaign Manager David Polyansky on Newsmax

"Well, number one, Donald Trump has never won an Iowa caucus. And in fact, it was Ted Cruz that beat him in 2016. And we didn't have one a few years ago when the former president was the nominee. But the message is pretty simple and straightforward. And you've heard this from Governor DeSantis all across the last week, and you'll see it for the remaining week. He feels that Donald Trump is running on his issues. He feels that Nikki Haley is running for her donors' issues. And Ron DeSantis is running for Iowa voters' issues. And that's the difference here. And I think you've seen that. When every caucus site in this state - 721 of them, every person that attends will have had the opportunity to meet Ron DeSantis. They can't say that about Donald Trump. And they certainly can't say that about Nikki Haley. And that's a huge advantage.

Congressman Chip Roy on Your World with Neil Cavuto, Fox News

"Governor DeSantis, I was just meeting with some folks here in southeast Iowa, the rooms have been packed. There's a lot of energy and enthusiasm. They want a new vision. Somebody that can carry us forward. Who can serve for eight years. Somebody who's delivered for the people of Florid. Who won by one million and a half votes. Who won 62% of Hispanic voters, 50% of single female voters. He's a guy that gets it done, he challenged Disney. He challenged the education establishment. He took on the teachers' unions. He flipped Miami Dade. He's doing all the things you want in a president and when the people of Iowa hear that, see that man, they are excited."

Congressman Chip Roy on The Source with Kaitlin Collins, CNN

"I want to have somebody I know can win in the fall like Governor DeSantis did in Florida, but also we're not looking backwards, trying to relitigate, looking backwards to January 6. I want someone to look forwards. I want somebody who can serve for eight years. I want us to get out of this rut, provide a vision for the country. And Governor DeSantis is the guy to do that. And that's why I'm out campaigning for him hard. He's hit 99 counties, 240 events, I think across the state of Iowa. Today, I was out with Casey DeSantis meeting with a bunch of folks throughout rural Iowa. There's a lot of enthusiasm and look he's trending up and present former President Trump is trending down. And frankly, Nikki Haley is plummeting after she embarrassed herself saying that Iowans should be corrected by New Hampshire."

First Lady Casey DeSantis on NewsRadio 1110 KFAB

"I will say, just from my unique vantage point with Ron, watching him at home with a seven, five, and a three year old, and watching him in front of the cameras fighting the good fight, no matter how hard they come after him, no matter what they say about him, he will not let you down. He will not back down. He will not waver. When he tells the people that he will get it done -- whether it's building the wall, restoring the American dream, ensuring that education is just about that, not indoctrination, to ensure that these unaccountable bureaucracies in Washington are tamed, that we're reducing it by 50% -- when he says he'll do it, he does it. And that's the kind of fighter with a backbone of steel, as Rush Limbaugh said on his final show, that we need in Washington now more than ever, somebody who is going to put service over self, who's going to get the job done, and serve the people with honor and distinction. And he will absolutely do that."

Congressman Chip Roy on the Glenn Beck Program

"I'm on the ground in Iowa, okay. 'm meeting with voters every day, very focused voters and they are ready to rumble. They are ready for a change. They are sick and tired of what's going on in the swamp. They want somebody new they want a new direction. They want some change. And not to get into the political side - I'm out here stumping for Governor DeSantis, obviously. But they want somebody who will actually do what they friggin said they would do like Governor DeSantis did in Florida. And look, he's never flip flopped. And I heard on your show earlier you asked about Vivek. I like Vivek. He says a lot of great things. But he's flip flopped a million times on vaccines, on Trump, COVID generally. I could go down the list. Governor DeSantis delivered up and down. And so Governor DeSantis cut spending Governor DeSantis took on Fauci. Governor DeSantis took on COVID tyranny. He took on Disney and won. He's now got Miami Dade teachers unions on the run. He got universal school choice passed. He's got an economy booming. That guy is actually a machine. I've never seen anything like it. And I've worked for good people. You know that. Guy is crushing it. And he's doing great out here in Iowa."

Bob Vander Plaats on Need to Know with Jeff Angelo, WHO radio

"I tell people Tuesday, I've been a friend of the former President Donald Trump for over a dozen years. This is not against the former president. This just happens believe I think Governor DeSantis is the right guy at the right time to win in '24, to lead on Day One, and to lead for two terms. And I think the party needs this. But I think more than anything, America needs this. And that's why I'm throwing my support behind Governor DeSantis."