Donald Trump has been picked as “statesman of the year” by Florida’s Sarasota County GOP.
“As a conservative and a champion of free enterprise, Donald Trump is a keynote leader in this country who commands attention and serious consideration from people of all partisan persuasions,” wrote GOP chair Joe Gruters, per the Tampa Bay Times. “He does not shy away from controversy and is courageous in promoting the fundamental principles that conservatives endorse and strive to achieve.”
When Trump was flirting with a presidential bid last year, NR looked extensively at his history — and found his bombastic conservative rhetoric didn’t exactly match up with his record over the years. Dan Foster wrote a good rundown of how the business mogul had differed from conservatives on various issues over the years that can be read here. Trump also gave thousands of dollars to liberal politicians — Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer among them — over the years.