(Bloomberg) -- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is expected to speak at an Iowa Republican Party event during the GOP convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday, according to people familiar with the matter.
DeSantis’ presence at the lunch event is seen as a key sign of his interest in running for president in 2028, the people said, who were granted anonymity to disclose a private conversation. Historically, presidential candidates have wooed Iowans during the GOP conventions in advance of their White House bids.
The Florida governor made his mark in the early days of the 2024 GOP presidential primary by spending more time in Iowa than rivals, and his attendance at the luncheon is a sign that he may revisit that strategy ahead of a possible 2028 run.
Iowa Republican Party Chair Jeff Kaufmann will give the speech that formally nominates Donald Trump as the party’s presidential nominee this week.
DeSantis’ short-lived 2024 presidential bid focused on winning Iowa, the first nominating contest in the GOP primary. He came in a distant second to Trump and dropped out days later, endorsing Trump.
Trump and DeSantis have had an acrimonious relationship, with Trump making fun of his height and calling him “DeSanctimonious,” but the pair had a reconciliation earlier this year, during which the Florida governor said he’d raise money for Trump.
Both DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley are poised to have speaking slots at the RNC, according to people familiar with the matter. Their invitations underscore Trump’s attempt to unite the party, particularly in the wake of an attempted assassination of Trump that took place at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
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