In a public endorsement of Florida Gov.
Ron DeSantis, Texas Rep.
Chip Roy, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus and former chief of staff to Sen.
Ted Cruz, hopes to persuade other Republican House members to look beyond former President Donald Trump for the 2024 GOP nomination.
Roy believes that the party needs "a new generation of leadership" and sees DeSantis as a strong contender, as he has proven his ability to win at the ballot box time and time again.
This endorsement could be seen as an implicit knock on the 76-year-old Trump, who lost his 2020 reelection and was blamed for an unexpectedly poor showing by Republican candidates in last year's midterms.
The endorsement comes at a time when DeSantis has been courting conservative lawmakers ahead of a formal announcement expected after the end of the state legislative session in May.
Several Republican candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence, have been mentioned as potential contenders for the 2024 presidential nomination if Trump doesn't run.
However, Trump still remains the most popular figure in the Republican Party and has not been shy about hinting at a potential third bid for the presidency.
Some sources note that DeSantis' bipartisan response to the pandemic, combined with his leadership style, have made him popular among Republican voters.
Other sources say that DeSantis' stance on issues such as voter suppression and the LGBTQ+ community has made him controversial among Democrats and some moderate Republicans.
Regardless, DeSantis' popularity with the conservative base, coupled with Roy's endorsement, could help position him as a serious contender for the GOP nomination in the upcoming election.