Former President Donald Trump labeled Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis an “absentee governor” on Wednesday for spending so much time campaigning for president in Iowa.
“Ron DeSanctimonious has become an Absentee Governor of Florida, never there, not working,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social about his fellow Republican presidential candidate.
“Get back to Florida, Ron, and do what you campaigned on, which was NOT running for President,” he wrote. “Fix the highest in the Nation Insurance problem. Oh, and you’re 54 Points down!”
Mr. DeSantis has made himself a fixture in Iowa ahead of the state’s kickoff nominating contest next month. On Saturday, Mr. DeSantis plans to complete his tour of all 99 counties in the Hawkeye State.
The absentee charge comes after Mr. DeSantis called out the former president Monday for attacking evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds for endorsing Mr. DeSantis.
“I think the attacks against Bob Vander Plaats have been out of bounds, just as I think the attacks against Gov. Kim Reynolds have been out of bounds,” Mr. DeSantis said on Fox News.
Mr. Trump slammed Ms. Reynolds earlier this month for her endorsement of the Florida governor, calling her “disloyal [and the] Nation’s most unpopular governor.”
The former president bashed Mr. Vander Plaats, a leader of evangelical voters, by saying he’s “more known for scamming Candidates than he is for Victory.”
Mr. DeSantis said Mr. Trump is sore over losing those big endorsements.
“If somebody endorses somebody other than you, you don’t always have to lash out and attack the person who made the endorsement,” Mr. DeSantis said.
Mr. Trump’s criticisms didn’t stop there. He also went after fellow Republican presidential candidate Chris Christie, who has become the anti-Trump attack dog in the GOP pack.
“The same thing happened to Sloppy Chris Christie. He failed in New Jersey, and left with an 8% approval rating, lowest ever for a governor,” Mr. Trump wrote.
Mr. Trump remains to be the leading Republican presidential candidate, dominating his rivals by 30 or 40 points in the polls. Mr. DeSantis polls in the teens, and Mr. Christie polls in single digits.
The Washington Times reached out to Mr. DeSantis’ campaign for comment.
• Mallory Wilson can be reached at mwilson@washingtontimes.com.
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