Photo courtesy Joe Gruters' Instagram.

For much of the year, state Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, remained the only member of the Florida Legislature who endorsed Donald Trump over Gov. Ron DeSantis. And during budget season last year, Sarasota appeared to pay the price. 

DeSantis vetoes funding for a STEM facility at University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, for a road expansion of Fruitville Road, to reopen Midnight Pass and to replace pipes at Alligator Creek.

“There’s no question it was retribution,” Gruters said. “But to me, it’s not hurting Joe Gruters. It’s hurting disabled kids and nursing programs and water quality issues in Sarasota County. It’s not about me as an individual.”

With that type of reaction to his endorsement last year, there seemed to be real reason to fear Sarasota’s state Senator would be isolated in the legislative session in January. But in the past few weeks, it at least became clear he would not be on the island alone. The ranks of pro-Trump state lawmakers started to grow quietly, then noisily.

At a Republican Party of Florida event last weekend, eight state lawmakers who once endorsed DeSantis announced they would jump to Trump. By my count, the number of state lawmakers backing DeSantis has shrunk to 91 as the number backing Trump grew to 14. And Gruters said there’s conversations with more lawmakers who could announce Trump endorsements soon.

“There’s a lot of room on the bus for everybody,” Gruters said, “whether they come on board now or whenever the inevitable moment arrives.”

The inevitable, and polls suggest that to be the right word, could come in January when early states start voting in Republican primaries. Trump leads in every poll, and DeSantis’ one-type grip on second place is no longer secure with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley competing for silver in many surveys.

That said, it begs the question why jump now, before the legislative session and before the Iowa caucuses?

“It still matters if you come over before the end of the race,” Gruters said. “They still want a better seat on the bus.”

Need proof? When Trump hosted a number of Florida political leaders at Mar-a-Lago, including U.S. Rep. Greg Steube and Republican Party of Florida Chair Christian Ziegler. Gruters introduced Trump on stage and rose shotgun with him all evening.

But is it time yet to get off the DeSantis bus? Some lawmakers like state Rep. Will Robinson, R-Bradenton, decided this week to the fresh Trump endorsements by doubling down on his own support of DeSantis. “His leadership is needed in DC to restore the glory of our great country!” Robinson posted on X, along with a 2018 pic of himself with the then-newly elected Governor.

Word is most local lawmakers are pretty committed to DeSantis. And hey, there’s still a chance this turns around, if not because of a DeSantis surge than because of a Trump implosion as he fights legal battles on multiple fronts.

In the meantime, DeSantis does have governing to do, and indeed a reputation for letting personal grudges guide his veto pen. But as he goes from Governor 19-Point Landslide to Candidate Whats-In-Those-Boots, there’s just little fear of that.

“We have 14 people standing with us now. Maybe’s he’s going to punish all of us,” Gruters acknowledges.

But that’s no way to curry favor with fellow elected officials— or with the public.

“When he does vetoes as a form of retribution, that is only hurting the community and constituents,” Gruters said. “Politically, it’s a mistake.”

Jacob Ogles is contributing senior editor for SRQ MEDIA.

Photo courtesy Joe Gruters' Instagram.