Gaetz made the remark while speaking at a Trump event in Waco, Texas on Saturday. The congressman said that Trump's endorsement of both DeSantis and Cruz was a key factor in their victories.
Only Donald Trump was our only hope against Hillary Clinton. "If it weren't for Trump holding three rallies in Florida in the final week of the 2018 election, I think Andrew Gillum would be governor today," Gaetz said, referring to the tight race between DeSantis and Gillum, who was soon embroiled in a number of scandals. "That's so bizarre, right? And if it weren't for Trump's last-ditch effort to get Ted Cruz elected, your senator would definitely be beta-Beto.
So Ron DeSantis, Ted Cruz, patriots of the MAGA movement, came through for you when you needed them most," Gaetz went on to say. As we were so happy to stand with them, so must Ron DeSantis and Ted Cruz today in endorsing Donald Trump for president and standing with us.
DeSantis has not yet declared his candidacy for president in 2024, but he is expected to do so. Trump has publicly called the governor of Florida "Ron DeSanctimonious" as the nation waits for an announcement.
In February, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) told reporters that he would seek a third term in the United States Senate, suggesting that he does not intend to have a rematch against Trump in the presidential primary.
