Governor Kim Reynolds of Iowa is reportedly set to throw her weight behind Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis in his bid for the presidency. This seismic endorsement from Reynolds – a titan in Iowa politics – signifies a major boost for the DeSantis campaign and a potential game-changer in the Republican presidential race.

Reynolds, initially hesitant to make an endorsement before the Iowa caucuses, appears to have been swayed by the DeSantis camp’s relentless efforts in the state. The Florida governor’s political machinery has been firing on all cylinders, pouring significant resources into winning over Iowa’s influential Republican base.

The endorsement is a monumental victory for DeSantis, who has already campaigned in 87 of Iowa’s 99 counties. The Des Moines Register has lauded it as “an enormous win,” while NBC News considers it a “major boost” to DeSantis’s presidential aspirations.

Reynolds’s backing is highly prized among Republican presidential hopefuls. She is more favored by Republicans in the state than any of the candidates themselves, making her endorsement a potential tipping point in the race.

The Iowa governor is expected to rally support for DeSantis at a pre-debate gathering and a Davenport meet-and-greet. She will then jet off to Miami to assist his fundraising efforts around the upcoming debate.

This ringing endorsement comes as former President Donald Trump, also vying for the nomination, grapples with mounting legal troubles, including the defection of three former attorneys in one case alone.

DeSantis, who has defended Reynolds against Trump’s accusations of insufficient loyalty, has long courted the Iowa governor’s endorsement. He recently told reporters that having Reynolds’s support would be a “huge get” for his campaign.

“I think what she’s been able to do in Iowa has really been a model for how people should govern,” DeSantis said, adding that any candidate would be a fool not to want Reynolds’s support.

This latest development signifies a significant shift in the Republican race. With Reynolds’s endorsement in his pocket, DeSantis may gain an edge over his rivals, including Trump.