Florida GOP to require loyalty pledge for 2024 candidates to participate in primary
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FLV) – The Republican Party of Florida will require all 2024 presidential primary candidates to sign a loyalty pledge, vowing to support the eventual nominee in the general election.
“The days of outlier party grifters – such as Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger – using Republican Party resources to secure a title and then weaponize that title against our own team must end,” said Christian Ziegler, chairman of the Florida GOP.
“Contested primaries are part of the process, but we must always remember that the Democrats are the true threat to the America we love and we must be unified to defeat every single one of them.”
Florida GOP Vice Chairman Evan Power also commented on the loyalty pledge, highlighting that it is “merely a mirror” of what the national party is requiring for debate stage access.
“If the Republican Party is going to give a candidate our platform and resources they should be a fully invested member of our team and as committed to defeating the failed Biden administration as we are,” Power said.
Power’s reference to the national party requirements came after the GOP announced they would implement a loyalty pledge for all the candidates to sign in order to participate in the primary debates that start in August.
Former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis are most popular candidates, Trump leading most polls, and both happen to be from Florida.
Trump previously said that he could not commit to a loyalty pledge because it would “depend on who the nominee was.”
DeSantis has expressed that he will “respect the outcome of the process”.
“I think I’m going to be the nominee. No matter what happens, I’m going to work to beat Joe Biden,” the governor said.
Other candidates have responded to the issue of a loyalty pledge, including former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie calling it a “useless idea”.
Former Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, who is running for president, said he does not plan on signing the Florida pledge even if it means he is not on the primary ballot.
“The issue is not with me supporting a Republican nominee. The issue is I am not going to support Donald Trump,” he said.
