The Florida Police Benevolent Association formally endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in his presidential bid on Monday, deeming him as someone who will “make public safety a top priority in the White House.”
In a statement, Florida Police Benevolent Association President John Kazanjian praised DeSantis as a leader who 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,” he said, citing the reality of millions of Americans dealing with issues related to crime and public safety under President Biden’s administration.
“The ideological experiment of defunding the police and scapegoating law enforcement for America’s social problems has failed,” he continued, describing DeSantis as “one candidate for president who has a proven track record” in this particular area.
“For the over 30,000 men and women in the Florida Police Benevolent Association, the choice for us could not be clearer,” he added.
Notably, the organization also endorsed DeSantis’s gubernatorial reelection bid in 2021, citing his “Law and Order’ agenda.” It also endorsed former President Donald Trump prior to the 2020 election.
As Breitbart News reported at the time:
The Florida Police Benevolent Association, representing 30,000 law enforcement officers also endorsed Trump in July — the first time the organization endorsed a presidential candidate in eight years.
“President Donald J. Trump has never once wavered from his support of law enforcement officers, especially as we are faced with these unprecedented challenges, wrote the organization, President John Kazanjian.
The endorsement for DeSantis coincides with his recent border trip, in which he previewed his plans to institute law and order on the southern border during an event in Eagle Pass on Monday.
A DeSantis administration, he explained, would not only crack down on sanctuary jurisdictions and designating cartels as either a transnational criminal organization or foreign terrorists, but also relook at the current rules of engagement on the southern border, authorizing an appropriate use of force to stop drug smugglers.
The endorsement also comes days after Trump’s team announced endorsements from over half of Pennsylvania’s House GOP delegation — a key swing state.
