Asked by a Politico reporter if she would support Trump, Loomis replied, “I don’t think that’s the right question.”
“I think the question is who is the current leader of the Republican Party. Oh, I know who it is: Ron DeSantis,” he said.
“I’m saying right now, Ron DeSantis is the leader of the Republican Party, whether he wants it or not,” he explained.
Lummis’ statement came as a new poll commissioned by the Club for Growth Action shows DeSantis leading Trump in two key swing states, Iowa and New Hampshire, which traditionally host the first two contests of a presidential primary.
The poll of 508 likely Iowa Republican voters conducted from Nov. 11 to Nov. 13 shows DeSantis leading Trump 48 percent to 37 percent, with 16 percent undecided. It’s a marked improvement for DeSantis, who trailed Trump 37 percent to 52 percent among Iowa Republican voters in August.
The poll of 401 likely New Hampshire Republican voters during the same time frame in November shows DeSantis leading Trump 52 percent to 37 percent, with 11 percent undecided. An August Club for Growth Action poll showed Trump and DeSandis tied at 45 percent in New Hampshire.
This month’s Club for Growth Action poll also showed DeSantis leading Trump by a wide margin in Florida, 56% to 30%, with 14% undecided.
Fifty-five percent of likely Republican voters in the Georgia primary said they favored DeSantis, while 35 percent said they favored Trump, according to the Club for Growth Action poll.
Some Senate Republicans, however, still support Trump, including Alabama Sen. Tommy Tamperville, who told reporters Monday that he would support Trump’s presidential bid if he announces one this week.
Other Republicans, such as U.S. Senate Whip John Thune (SD), remain neutral for now. DeSantis leads Trump in House Club for Growth primary polls to pick next leaders as he closes in on majority “In ’24 [election cycle] it will start very soon. I imagine there will be some pretty strong competition from the Republican side when the time comes,” Thune said.
Asked if he would call on Trump not to run again, Thune said: “It’s a free country and it’s going to do what it’s going to do.”
“I’m not endorsing anybody at this point,” he said.