Thomas Massie says 'we gotta get DeSantis indicted quick to close the gap'

A key ally to Governor Ron DeSantis jokingly suggested the Florida leader should get "indicted" in order to catch up to former President Donald Trump in the polls.  

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who served with DeSantis in Congress and has endorsed his campaign, spoke to McClatchyDC last week in an interview, discussing the topic of DeSantis' presidential campaign.  

In response to the question, "If you’re Ron DeSantis, or any GOP candidate in this race, how do you navigate [Trump's support]?" referring the upswing that Trump has seen as a result of the indictments, Massie said, "It’s very difficult... I feel sympathy for Trump. And I understand why people are gravitating towards him in this time." 

"It’s a referendum on the swamp versus Trump, and it’s seen as, if you don’t support Trump in this moment, some of the voters see it as being swampy," Massie continued.

"I’ve said we gotta figure out, we got to find some judge in Florida that’ll indict DeSantis quick, to close this indictment gap," Massie said, laughing at the hypothetical scenario.  

The interview went on to speculate about DeSantis' strategy going forward. When asked by McClatchyDC about what DeSantis should "regain momentum in" the race, Massie replied that "DeSantis has to weather out [the] indictments" and to be sympathetic to Trump.  

Massie added saying that the campaign is making "some changes" and will be "on the ground a lot more in Iowa." According to Massie, DeSantis has gotten frustrated the Trump have been benefitting from accusations of breaking the law because DeSantis is a "Boy Scout kind of guy. 

In response the criticisms levied at the DeSantis campaign, Massie said the governor is "decisive but not impulsive" and "unlike Trump, he’s got a filter."  

The campaign, according to Massie, will be changing course in the next month or two with messaging strategy, but the policy DeSantis has pursued before will stay the same.