DeSantis steps into government shutdown fight, urges Republicans to stick to their guns on spending

WASHINGTON — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, had a message for three conservative House Republicans in a phone call Wednesday: stick to their guns even in the face of a looming government shutdown.

Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., a member of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus, confirmed to USA TODAY Thursday the call took place with two of his Republican colleagues, Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Chip Roy of Texas. Politico first reported the phone call.

"We talked about what was going on in the House and about the appropriations fight and what our positions were on how to try to navigate the best path forward," Good told USA TODAY Thursday.

Members of the House Freedom Caucus have been insisting on a swath of red-meat orders for House GOP leadership, including additional funding for security on the southern border and deeper cuts to spending than what McCarthy and President Joe Biden originally brokered in a deal earlier in the summer.

Another sticking point for House conservatives is their insistence that leadership allow lawmakers to vote on 12 separate bills funding the government, as opposed to one large “omnibus” spending bill, a practice Congress has become accustomed to over past years. 

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Good said DeSantis shares conservative objectives with the trio who were on the call, adding that it was a "productive, constructive conversation."

"We just gave him the state of the funding here in Congress," Massie told USA TODAY.

Massie said DeSantis, who previously served two terms representing Florida in the House, is supporting Republicans in their goal of trying to pass 12 separate spending bills instead of an omnibus. GOP lawmakers say they're calling for the individual votes so House members can get into the details of each spending package, instead of approving one overarching deal to avoid a government shutdown.

"He's supporting fiscal responsibility and those are things that McCarthy supports so I don't think he's causing him any problems," Massie said.

USA TODAY has reached out to DeSantis' office for comment.

Roy, also a House Freedom Caucus membes, told reporters he has conversations regularly with DeSantis, a House Freedom Caucus co-founder.

"He's a friend, and (we're) talking about both his campaign and what's going on, and he's interested in what's going on on the Hill... and knows what we're up to and is supportive of us trying to fight to get change up here," Roy said.

More:Is a government shutdown imminent? What Congress needs to do (quickly) to avoid one.