Florida GOP increases pressure on 2024 contenders with loyalty pledge demand.

The Florida GOP Requires Candidates to Pledge Loyalty to Party’s Nominee

The Florida GOP has implemented a new requirement for candidates seeking a spot on the primary ballot in the Sunshine State. In order to appear on the ballot for the Republican presidential preference primary on March 19, 2024, candidates must pledge their loyalty to the eventual nominee of the Republican Party.

“I hereby request that the Republican Party of Florida include my name on the list of presidential candidates to be placed on Florida’s Republican presidential preference primary ballot. I affirm that if I do not win the 2024 Republican nomination for President of the United States, I will endorse the 2024 Republican presidential nominee regardless of who it is. I further pledge that I will not seek to run as an independent, non-party affiliated, or write-in candidate nor will I seek or accept the nomination for president of any other party,”

This pledge, which closely mirrors the one required by the Republican National Committee (RNC) for candidates to participate in debates, has sparked controversy among GOP candidates who may be hesitant to support certain nominees. Some Republican presidential candidates have expressed their reservations about the RNC’s debate pledge, drawing comparisons to former President Donald Trump’s approach in 2016.

Florida GOP Chairman Christian Ziegler defended the pledge, stating that it was included to ensure maximum unity leading up to the General Election. Ziegler emphasized the importance of party unity and criticized those who use their party affiliation to undermine fellow Republicans.

“The pledge — which is the word-for-word the same language as the RNC pledge — was requested and passed by our members to ensure maximum unity heading into the General Election. The days of 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,”

When asked for comment, Governor Ron DeSantis, who is also a presidential candidate, expressed his commitment to respecting the outcome of the process. He emphasized the importance of competition and unity in order to defeat the Democratic Party.

“You run this process, you compete, and you respect the outcome of the process. And I’ve always said that. And so that’s what I said before. That’s what I’ll do. I think I’m going to be the nominee. But no matter what happens, I’m going to work to beat Joe Biden. That’s what you have to do.”

The first Republican debate is scheduled for August 23 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the RNC has made it clear that the loyalty pledge will remain in effect.

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