Endorsement watch: A look at who GOP governors are endorsing ahead of 2024

Endorsements are a coveted part of the presidential election cycle that often sway voters more efficiently than candidates and sometimes put contests to bed before they even start.

Endorsements from state leaders are especially important to candidates looking to win over voters in early-primary and caucus states that hold the keys to the nomination in their hands. Voters tend to hold their state officials in high regard, and the 11 Republican governors who have already told their constituents who they would like to see be president in 2024 could shape the contest as primary season gets underway.

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Here is a look at which candidates have received endorsements so far and which governors remain undecided:

Former President Donald Trump

Trump leads the GOP field in polls and has picked up more endorsements than anyone else. The former president has received seven gubernatorial endorsements so far, 17 Senate endorsements, and 86 endorsements from the House of Representatives.

The governors who have endorsed Trump are:

– Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R-AK), who endorsed the former president in late August, calling Trump the “best president for this state in its short history.”

– Gov. Sarah Sanders (R-AR) finally endorsed Trump late last month after months of speculation about whether she would abandon her former boss after serving as his press secretary.

– Gov. Tate Reeves (R-MS) endorsed Trump in October.

– Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) endorsed the former president last January after he was announced as part of Trump’s campaign leadership team.

– Gov. Kristi Noem (R-SD) endorsed Trump at a campaign stop in September. Noem is considered a potential vice presidential candidate for Trump after the former president said he likes the “concept” of a female running mate.

– Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX), the controversial Texas governor, endorsed Trump at an event with the former president last month. He is the most recent governor to throw his support behind the former commander in chief.

– Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV) endorsed Trump in April while the former president was facing his first indictment in New York.

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL)

The Florida governor has the second most support from governors in the field, having secured two endorsements as of December. He has also secured endorsements from five House members.

– Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) gave her coveted endorsement to DeSantis last month as the Florida governor’s campaign began to falter and he refocused his efforts on trying to win big in the country’s first nominating contest. The governor is considered a rising star in GOP politics and has seen a lot of success in her home state.

– Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) endorsed DeSantis in June, claiming the fellow governor was a “strong conservative and principled leader” and praised his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley

Haley has only received one governor endorsement so far, but her recent surge and position in some polls as the new best challenger to Trump could net her more support in the coming weeks.

– Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH) gave his long-awaited endorsement to Haley, claiming he was “all in” for Haley during a town-hall event in Manchester, New Hampshire. The endorsement comes after Haley gave strong performances in the first three Republican debates, and as she has seen her popularity surge among independent voters.

Former Vice President Mike Pence

The former vice president has withdrawn from the race but secured the endorsement of one governor before doing so. That governor has not announced who he will endorse in 2024 instead of Pence so far.

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– Gov. Eric Holcomb (R-IN) gave his endorsement to Pence in June. Pence is also from Indiana and served as the state’s governor from 2013-2017.

Chris Christie, who is still running for president, has not received any gubernatorial endorsements so far, nor has political newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy. However, there are 14 Republican governors, not including DeSantis, who have not endorsed a candidate for 2024.