A former Maine House leader and two sitting state lawmakers will serve in leadership positions for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign.
Attorney Josh Tardy, former House Republican Leader; Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart (R-Presque Isle) and Rep. Reagan Paul (R-Winterport) will all serve on the team, the campaign announced Wednesday.
“Ron DeSantis’ leadership stands out to me like no Republican candidate has before, and that’s why I am proud to endorse DeSantis for President,” Tardy said in a statement. “He is truly the only candidate who can defeat Joe Biden and get the job done for Americans with no drama and no excuses.”
DeSantis is competing with nearly a dozen other Republicans for the party nomination at a time when former President Donald Trump has a 40-percentage point lead, according to polling averages posted by FiveThirtyEight.
The GOP winner will face President Joe Biden in the November 2024 election.
Stewart, a four-term state lawmaker, has worked to raise the visibility of Republicans at the State House during his leadership tenure. He criticized Biden for his economic policies called “Bidenomics,” which the president promoted in a July speech in Auburn.
“2024 is our chance to reverse our nation’s decline and Ron DeSantis is the only leader in the race who can do that,” he said. “I’ve seen what he’s done to make Florida the best state to do business and we need his strong leadership in the White House.”
Paul, a first-term House member who the campaign describes as a “Gen-Z Christian conservative,” was an outspoken opponent of a bill Democrats passed earlier this year to expand abortion access in Maine.
“We need a young, conservative leader in the White House with a fixed moral compass who will fight for the American people again,” she said.
The Maine presidential primary is set for Super Tuesday — March 5.