The Washington Examiner reports that former U.S. Reps. Lou Barletta (R-PA) and Tom Marino (R-PA) have just announced that they will be supporting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) for president in 2024. 

Barletta and Marino made their position known in a joint statement that they released on Barletta's Twitter account.

"More than ever our country needs strong leadership, someone that gets things done & isn’t afraid to stand up for what’s right," the statement reads. 

"So," it continues, "Tom Marino & I are calling on our former colleague @RonDeSantisFL to run for president in 2024. Come on Ron, your country needs you! #NeverBackDown"

Background

This is being considered by many as a significant move as both Barletta and Marino, back in 2016, were the first sitting members of Congress to endorse then-presidential candidate Donald Trump for the presidency.

Many anticipate that Trump and DeSantis will be facing off in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. While Trump has announced his candidacy, DeSantis has not.

Nonetheless, polls continue to indicate that, by far, Trump and DeSantis are the frontrunners for the Republican Party's nomination. And, Trump, with this in mind, has even started targeting DeSantis.

Trump, for example, in a recent social media message, wrote:

Why on earth (farmer’s love earth!) would the wonderful people of the GREAT State of Iowa vote for Ron DeSanctimonious when he voted and fought to KILL Ethanol (and will definitely do so if given the chance), voted 4 times, as a disciple of Paul Ryan, to decimate Social Security and MediCare, and bring the minimum age on Social Security to at least 70 years old (he wanted higher!). He will be in Iowa on Friday to beg for mercy. I supported Ethanol, FIRED NAFTA, & made USMCA & China Trade Deals!

This message came as DeSantis made a trip to Iowa. And, in conjunction with this, a poll unfavorable to Trump and favorable to DeSantis was released.

The "why?"

Barletta and Marino were big-time Trump supporters.

David Urban, a Washington-based strategist who was Trump’s 2016 Pennsylvania adviser, explained to the Examiner: 

Every time he came to Pennsylvania, they were there. Every time he traveled, they were there. I mean, they were die-hard Trump folks.

So, the question is: "what has changed?" that Barletta and Marino have moved on from Trump.

Urban opined that "they became very, just, upset with the president's actions during the post-election." As one example, Trump chose not to support Barletta in the race for Pennsylvania's governorship. Instead, Trump supported state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R), who would go on to lose to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D).

With 2024 inching ever close, the question that has to be raised is how many more Republicans are out there who, like Barletta and Marino, have moved on from Trump. The answer is unclear. But, it is certainly something to keep in mind if Trump does end up becoming the Republicans' 2024 presidential nominee.