Florida’s largest police union endorses DeSantis for president after backing Trump in 2020
The largest police union in Florida announced Monday that it has endorsed Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis for president after previously backing former President Donald Trump in 2020.
John Kazanjian, the president of the Florida Police Benevolent Association, hailed DeSantis as the “most effective governor in the nation” and someone who “will make public safety a top priority in the White House” in a press release announcing the group’s 2024 endorsement.
“Now more than ever, Americans must elect the one candidate for president who has a proven track record in enhancing public safety and investing in the essential men and women who help maintain public safety every day,” Kazanjian said in a statement.
“For the over 30,000 men and women in the Florida Police Benevolent Association, the choice for us could not be clearer. Governor Ron DeSantis and his administration have made Florida a law-and-order state, by investing in and supporting the thousands of law enforcement officers, who serve on the front lines in keeping our communities safe and secure,” he said.
The Florida Police Benevolent Association previously endorsed Trump in 2020 after not having backed a presidential candidate in the eight years before that election.
At the time, Kazanjian cited “the existential threats to the safety of our members, the future of our families, and the security of our communities,” as reasons backing Trump’s failed re-election bid.
On Monday, Kazanjian praised DeSantis’ tough-on-crime approach in Florida and credited the 44-year-old governor for “investing over $100 million dollars to increase the salaries of state law enforcement officers” and “recruiting the best men and women across the country to join our ranks” and supporting local law enforcement agencies’ battle against the fentanyl epidemic.
“Governor DeSantis has made Florida a destination for all Americans to live safely and freely. He is one of the most effective Governors in the nation and he will take his proven track record to the White House, where he will continue to have the backs of law enforcement officers and make public safety a top priority. For these reasons, the Florida PBA is proud to endorse our Governor, Ron DeSantis, for President of the United States and we will do all that we can to help him prevail,” Kazanjian said.
DeSantis visited the US-Mexico border on Monday and unveiled his border security plan, which calls for an end of birthright citizenship and for him to be able to send the US military into Mexico if necessary.
“Joe Biden has failed to meet the most basic responsibility of ensuring the territorial integrity of our country,” DeSantis said Monday. “Biden’s gross dereliction of duty has left the southern border in shambles.”
The Florida Governor is polling at 21.5% in a RealClearPolitics average of 2024 GOP presidential primary surveys, some 30 percentage points behind the front-runner, Trump.