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- Former President Donald Trump launched his third presidential campaign in November.
- He was first major Republican to announce a 2024 candidacy.
- But only a chunk of Republican elected officials are backing him. Here's a list of who they are.
Former President Donald Trump announced a comeback presidential campaign in November. And while he's currently leading the pack in terms of endorsements, many Republicans are continuing to stay out of it.
As of Friday, May 5, 11 senators and more than 50 House members have announced they're backing Trump in 2024 or expressed support for his bid, even as he faces criminal charges in New York. Just two governors have endorsed the former president.
Trump was the first major Republican to announce a 2024 candidacy, but a majority of his party hasn't rallied behind him. Most elected Republicans say they want to wait to see who else enters the race, or that it's too early to make a decision.
Some are contemplating or have already launched their own White House bids. So far, Trump's former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and businessman and conservative activist Vivek Ramaswamy have announced campaigns, yet several others, including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence, are considering a run for the GOP nomination.
As president, Trump maintained an ironclad grip over the Republican party. Even after his term — and an unprecedented assault on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 by a crowd of his supporters — he's shown an ability to influence Republican primary voters and exact retribution upon his intraparty foes.
But after a disappointing midterms performance for the party — the GOP made only modest gains in the House, Democrats held the Senate, and many of Trump's preferred candidates performed poorly— some see the former president's power as waning.
Still, many of Trump's allies and longtime loyalists are sticking beside him.
Here are all of the prominent Republicans who have expressed support for Trump's 2024 campaign:
Two governors
Jim Justice — the West Virginia governor, first elected as a Democrat, tweeted his support for Trump in April as he faced an indictment in Manhattan.
Henry McMaster — the South Carolina governor was announced as a member of Trump's campaign leadership team at a January 28 event in Columbia, where he declared that the country will "see a burst of freedom and prosperity unlike any we have ever seen before" if Trump is re-elected.
11 senators
Marsha Blackburn — the Tennessee senator endorsed Trump following the former president's meeting with Tennessee Republicans in April.
Mike Braun — the Indiana senator, now running for governor, told Fox News in April that he backed Trump because he's the "candidate that can portray what was working so well" before the pandemic.
Ted Budd — after winning his North Carolina US Senate seat with Trump's backing, Budd endorsed Trump in April.
Steve Daines — the Montana senator, who also serves as the head of Senate Republicans' campaign arm, endorsed Trump in an appearance on Donald Trump Jr.'s podcast in April.
Lindsey Graham — the long-serving South Carolina senator has formed a close relationship with Trump over the years, becoming one of his leading allies in Congress. "I know the downside of Trump, but let me tell you about the upside of Trump: there are no Trump policies without Trump," Graham told Fox News in January, touting Trump's achievements.
Bill Hagerty — the Tennessee senator, who previously served as US Ambassador to Japan under Trump, offered his "wholehearted endorsement" to the former president in April.
Cindy Hyde-Smith — the freshman Mississippi senator announced her support for Trump in April, saying he was "attentive to the needs" of her state as president.
Markwayne Mullin — the Oklahoma freshman announced in February on Truth Social that he's "proud to endorse the strongest president of my lifetime, Donald J. Trump, for a second term in 2024."
Eric Schmitt — the newly elected senator told Politico in January he's backing the former president in 2024, who also endorsed Schmitt in Missouri's GOP primary last year.
Tommy Tuberville — the Alabama senator endorsed Trump in a tweet just days after he launched his 2024 bid, becoming the first Republican senator to do so. Tuberville, a former Auburn University head football coach, later told Insider that Trump's "leadership role experience" was especially important to him.
JD Vance — the freshman senator and author of the bestselling book "Hillbilly Elegy," who secured Trump's endorsement in last year's Ohio GOP primary, declared his support for the former president in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on January 31, praising his foreign policy record.
53 House members
Brian Babin — the Texas congressman was named as part of the Trump campaign's Texas leadership team in March.
Jim Banks — Banks told The New York Times that he supported Trump following the GOP's underperformance in the midterm elections. Trump in February endorsed Banks' 2024 bid to become Indiana's next senator.
Andy Biggs — the former House Freedom Caucus chairman tweeted his support for Trump the day he announced, writing: "President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. Let's Make America Great Again."
Gus Bilirakis — the Florida congressman endorsed Trump in April, though he said that Florida "boasts two trailblazers of unabashed, bold leadership" in an allusion to DeSantis.
Mike Bost — the Illinois congressman offered his "full endorsement" for Trump via tweet in February.
Lauren Boebert — the far-right Colorado congresswoman said on NewsNation that "of course" she endorses Trump and thinks it's "going to be a fantastic race."
Josh Brecheen — the freshman Oklahoma congressman endorsed Trump on May 1.
Vern Buchanan — the Florida congressman endorsed Trump in April, saying the former president has "done it before and will do it again."
Michael Burgess — the Texas congressman endorsed Trump in March after being named to the former president's campaign's Texas leadership team.
Mike Carey — the Ohio congressman endorsed Trump on Twitter the day after he announced his 2024 bid.
John Carter — the Texas congressman was named as part of the Trump campaign's Texas leadership team in March.
Eli Crane — the Arizona freshman tweeted his support for Trump's 2024 bid the night of his announcement.
Byron Donalds — the Florida congressman endorsed Trump in April, saying there's "only one leader at this time in our nation's history who can seize this moment and deliver what we need."
Pat Fallon — the Texas congressman was named as part of the Trump campaign's Texas leadership team in March.
Chuck Fleischmann — the Tennessee congressman told a local paper that Trump will get the GOP nomination "with relative ease" and that Fleischmann's "support will be there" for the former president.
Russell Fry — the South Carolina congressman, who defeated a Republican congressman who had voted to impeach Trump, is a member of Trump's campaign "leadership team" in the state.
Matt Gaetz — the Florida lawmaker has long supported a Trump comeback bid, even before he officially announced in November. "There's so many more accomplishments left for us to achieve if we elect Donald Trump back to the White House," Gaetz wrote in a Daily Caller op-ed in November.
Carlos Gimenez — the Florida congressman endorsed Trump in April.
Lance Gooden — the Texas congressman endorsed Trump right after meeting with DeSantis, saying the governor has "done commendable work in Florida" but that the former president is the "only leader who can save America."
Paul Gosar — the Arizona conservative tweeted Trump's Make America Great Again campaign slogan the night he launched his campaign.
Tony Gonzales — the Texas congressman said on Twitter the day of Trump's announcement that he looks "forward to President Trump once again righting the ship."
Mark Green — the Tennessee congressman, who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security, was announced as a member of "Trump's Tennessee Federal Leadership Team."
Marjorie Taylor Greene — the conservative firebrand from Georgia has been one of Trump's staunchest supporters in Congress. She endorsed the former president the same day he announced his bid.
Diana Harshbarger — the Tennessee congresswoman endorsed Trump in April, saying he has a "proven track record of delivering results."
Harriet Hageman — the Wyoming congresswoman, who defeated former Rep. Liz Cheney with the backing of Trump and much of the rest of the GOP, told Breitbart that she was "proud to stand with" Trump in 2024.
Clay Higgins — the Louisiana lawmaker tweeted in November that he was backing Trump "out of the gate." He later told Insider that Trump was the best president "we've ever had in my lifetime."
Richard Hudson — the chairman of the House GOP campaign arm told a local outlet in November that he supports Trump in 2024 but if "someone beats him in the primary I'll support them."
Wesley Hunt — the Texas freshman has also backed Trump for 2024, according to The Texas Tribune.
Ronny Jackson — the Texas lawmaker, the former White House physician famous for rosy assessments of the president's health and "incredible genes," endorsed his ex-patient days after the November announcement. "I don't need to see any more," he told Insider in December. "I know Trump knows what needs to be done."
Jim Jordan — the Ohio congressman, currently the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, told Breitbart even before Trump officially announced his campaign that the former president is the "right candidate" for 2024.
Anna Paulina Luna — the freshman Florida lawmaker told POLITICO in March that she's backing Trump over her home-state governor, Ron DeSantis.
Brian Mast — the Florida congressman endorsed Trump in April, telling CNN he also plans to chair "Veterans for Trump."
Mary Miller — the second-term congresswoman from Illinois tweeted her support for Trump the night of his campaign launch.
Max Miller — the freshman Ohio congressman, who used to work in the Trump White House, endorsed the former president the night of his announcement and said he "wouldn't be here without his support."
Cory Mills — the Florida congressman and former arms dealer endorsed Trump in April, telling TIME that the former president's indictment in Manhattan was a "very unifying event."
Alex Mooney — the West Virginia congressman told a local news outlet in November that he supports Trump "100%" and that "his conservative policies are what we need for this country."
Barry Moore — the Alabama congressman endorsed Trump in a radio interview in December, citing the former president's "experience level."
Troy Nehls — another Texas lawmaker, Nehls traveled to Mar-a-Lago for Trump's November announcement, later telling Insider: "We're not electing the Pope."
Andy Ogles — the Tennessee congressman endorsed Trump in May, saying he's the "leader we need to get America back on track."
John Rose — the Tennessee congressman endorsed Trump in April, saying the former President has a "track record we can trust."
John Rutherford — the Florida congressman endorsed Trump in April, saying the former president is the "right person" to "restore Law, Order, and Justice to our country."
George Santos — the scandal-plagued freshman of New York declared on Twitter in February that Trump "will be the 47th POTUS."
Pete Sessions — the Texas congressman was named as part of the Trump campaign's Texas leadership team in March.
Elise Stefanik — the No. 3 House Republican endorsed Trump days before his widely expected 2024 announcement in November.
Greg Steube — the Florida congressman endorsed Trump in April, saying on Newsmax that DeSantis should "concentrate on the great job that he's doing" as Florida's governor.
Dale Strong — the freshman Alabama congressman endorsed Trump in a Facebook post in November 2022.
William Timmons — the South Carolina congressman joined Trump for his South Carolina leadership team announcement.
Jeff Van Drew — the New Jersey congressman, who switched parties during Trump's first impeachment, endorsed the former president shortly after his run, telling a local outlet that he's a "loyal guy."
Beth Van Duyne — the Texas congresswoman was named as part of the Trump campaign's Texas leadership team in March.
Mike Waltz — the Florida congressman, who represents the district once held by DeSantis, endorsed Trump in April, saying on Twitter that the country needs "bold and experienced leadership."
Randy Weber — the Texas congressman was named as part of the Trump campaign's Texas leadership team in March.
Roger Williams — the Texas congressman endorsed Trump in March after being named to the former president's campaign's Texas leadership team.
Joe Wilson — the South Carolina congressman was also named to Trump's 2024 South Carolina leadership team.
This list is periodically updated as more Republican elected officials endorse Trump.
from Business Insider https://ift.tt/D1f5jPs
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