DeSantis and Trump compete for attention of Republicans — in Nevada

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump both spent Wednesday evening vying for attention from Nevada Republicans.

DeSantis flew to Nevada to campaign for U.S. Senate candidate Adam Laxalt.

"The event here marks the first time DeSantis as governor has ventured outside the Sunshine State to publicly campaign for a fellow Republican, and it comes amid growing chatter about DeSantis as a 2024 presidential contender," CNN reported.

Meanwhile, Trump endorsed Clark County (Las Vegas) Sheriff Joe Lombardo for governor.

"The development is a blow for other gubernatorial candidates who have tried to ingratiate themselves to Trump, including former Sen. Dean Heller, who said he would love to have the former president’s endorsement in the race, has called Joe Biden an illegitimate president and mentioned several times at a debate that he had spoken with Trump on the phone earlier that day," the Nevada Independent reported. "Candidate Joey Gilbert, meanwhile, has described himself as 'Trump from the jump.'"

Jon Ralston, the founder of the Nevada Independent and a longtime Nevada political reporter, suggested the timing of Trump's endorsement may have been designed to step on coverage of the DeSantis trip.

Polling by The Nevada Independent shows incumbent Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak leading the gubernatorial race, besting Trump-endorsed Sheriff Joe Lombardo by nine points, and Sen. Dean Heller by 13 points.

Former attorney general Adam Laxalt, who DeSantis rallied for, was earlier endorsed by Trump. Trump's endorsement headlines his website. A full-screen graphic announcing the endorsement is the first thing visitors see when they visit Laxalt’s campaign website, which bears a grinning Donald Trump alongside the former AG.