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Leonard Green is also considering the sale of a minority stake in Pro Mach as an alternative to an outright sale, one of the sources said. That would preserve Pro Mach's debt structure and would not require bidders to secure leveraged buyout financing, the source added. Leonard Green and Pro Mach did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Leonard Green bought Pro Mach from buyout firm AEA Investors LP for about $2.2 billion, including debt, in 2018. Moody's said in December that Pro Mach's order book indicated "healthy demand" for its products despite concerns of slowing economic growth.

☆ Nikki Haley on Republicans' tepid midterms: The party 'looked like chaos'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Republicans came across as chaotic during the midterms, Nikki Haley said. And from an independent standpoint it looked like chaos, and they didn't want to be a part of that." Democrats have also singled out Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia as representative of the party. In preliminary exit polls following the midterms, about equal proportions of voters said both Republicans and Democrats were "too extreme." Despite Republican disappointment over the midterms, the party did secure a narrow majority in the US House.

☆ A Florida lawmaker thinks the so-called 'Don't Say Gay' bill doesn't go far enough — and is pitching a major expansion
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Chris Panella | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A Florida GOP state representative filed a proposal expanding the state's so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill. The bill, HB 1223, would prohibit instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity up to eighth grade. The bill's creator, GOP Rep. Adam Anderson, said in a statement to the Orlando Sentinel that the bill "promotes parental rights, transparency, and state standards in Florida schools." LGBTQ advocacy groups, such as Equality Florida, condemned the bill. DeSantis and Florida Republicans responded by stripping Disney of its special tax district and taking control of the area around Disney World.

☆ Nikki Haley pledges to support Donald Trump if he's the GOP nominee
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Nikki Haley pledged to support Donald Trump if he becomes the GOP nominee for president in 2024. Haley, one of only two declared GOP rivals to Trump, described January 6 as "one sad day in America." The host, journalist Bari Weiss, asked Haley to participate in a "lighting round" of questions, in which Haley simply answered "yes" to the question over whether she would support Trump. Trump signed a loyalty pledge to support the GOP nominee when he ran in 2016, but then took it back. In her podcast, Haley defended her relationship with Trump, saying that she sometimes agreed with him and at other times didn't.

☆ Republicans stoke 2024 culture wars by attacking Biden's socially conscious investing rule
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A brewing fight over socially conscious investing appears to be a preview of 2024 attack lines. The GOP's ongoing battle against environmental, social and corporate governance issues seems to be picking up steam ahead of the next presidential election, with Senate Republicans unanimously opposed to government involvement in personal investments. "If there's some other social goals, that'd be run through government, not through investing," Johnson told Insider between Senate votes. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, who is running Senate Republicans' reelection arm for the 2024 cycle, declined to comment on whether an anti-ESG plank would be part of that campaign. "Stay focused on investors and shareholders, not on stakeholders," Daines told Insider before being whisked away by the Senate subway.

☆ A New York Times book critic says Ron DeSantis' memoir reads like it was 'churned out by ChatGPT'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The New York Times' nonfiction book critic Jennifer Szalai tore into Ron DeSantis' book on Monday. Szalai wrote that DeSantis' new book "reads like a politician's memoir churned out by ChatGPT." Szalai is a full-time book critic and writes weekly book reviews for The Times. The new DeSantis book gives readers a closer look at his life"The Courage to Be Free," a deeper look into DeSantis' life, was released on February 28. I didn't want Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck in our wedding photos," DeSantis wrote.

☆ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is widely expected to launch a 2024 presidential bid. Meet the DeSantis family.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Talia Lakritz | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is widely expected to run for president in 2024, though he has yet to make any official announcement. Ron DeSantis. But DeSantis has stayed quiet on the subject. When asked if he was planning to run for president at a February press conference, he responded, "Wouldn't you like to know," according to Fox News.

☆ NBA roundup: Spurs top Jazz, end 16-game skid
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Jeremy Sochan added 13 points and Devonte' Graham had 12 for the Spurs, who got just their 15th win. Lauri Markkanen scored 28 points with 10 rebounds for Utah, Talen Horton-Tucker scored 16 points and Walker Kessler contributed 10 points and 15 boards. The Bucks are on their fifth 15-game winning streak in team history and second in four seasons after winning 18 straight Nov. 10-Dec. 14, 2019. Spencer Dinwiddie added 26 points, but Brooklyn scored only 19 points in the fourth and dropped its third straight. Zach LaVine added 17 points, DeMar DeRozan scored 13 points and Ayo Dosunmu scored 10.

☆ DeSantis' new memoir skips juicy details about his life that could emerge in a presidential bid. Here's what he left out.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

DeSantis published his first memoir, "The Courage to Be Free," on TuesdayThe book is widely viewed as laying the groundwork for a presidential run. DeSantis doesn't mention his gap year between Yale and Harvard, when he taught at the elite Darlington School. DeSantis writes extensively about his legislative victories in his book, but not about the legal battles that have ensued. DeSantis writes nothing about the January 6 attack on the Capitol to overturn the election results, nor does he address Trump's false claims about election fraud. He also, without naming Trump, writes about "the dangers of truning over the country to the likes of Dr. Anthony Fauci" during the pandemic.

☆ DeSantis agreed to get married at Disney World as long as Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse weren't invited
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DeSantis was hesitant to get married at Disney World, he revealed in his new book. Ron DeSantis may have had a fairy tale wedding with Casey DeSantis at the Walt Disney World Resort back in 2009 — but he's no Disney adult, according to his new book. He thought he and Casey DeSantis, née Black, would get married at a local church, he wrote. He had originally planned on wearing a tux, he said, but Casey DeSantis asked him to wear his Navy service dress white uniform instead. He realized that he needed to go to a tailor to get his outfit ready so that they could properly mount his medals on the suit.

☆ DeSantis accuses congressional Republicans of 'flagrantly' ignoring voters on immigration, leading to Trump election: Book
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DeSantis criticized congressional Republicans over the issue of immigration in his new book. Ron DeSantis reserves some of his most scathing criticism of congressional Republicans for how the party has handled the issue of immigration. The election was largely decided on the issue of immigration, with Brat accusing his opponent of being too soft on the issue. DeSantis has publicly criticized his own party on illegal immigration before, saying they were too much talk and not enough action. Hispanic voters in Florida went overwhelmingly for DeSantis during his reelection in November — by 14% — over Democratic challenger former Rep. Charlie Crist.

☆ NBA roundup: Damian Lillard erupts for 71 in Blazers' win
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Jerami Grant added 13 points and Nassir Little scored 11 for Portland, which connected on 54.5 percent of its field goal attempts and was 20 of 39 from 3-point range. Doncic scored 26 points with nine rebounds, while Irving had 21 points and 11 assists. Ayton also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and blocked three shots. Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 13 rebounds for his 39th double-double of the season, third most in the NBA. Jakob Poeltl added 13 points and nine rebounds for the Raptors, who were coming off a win over the host Detroit Pistons on Saturday.

☆ DeSantis saw Harvard and Yale degrees as 'scarlet letters' when running for office: book
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DeSantis worried when running for Congress that his Ivy league degrees would work against him. He had been in the Navy after attending Yale and then Harvard Law School, and was concerned voters would be suspicious of his "elite" educational background, he wrote. "I viewed having earned degrees from Yale and Harvard Law School to be political scarlet letters as far as a GOP primary went," DeSantis wrote in the book. In his book, DeSantis credits his extensive door knocking with wife Casey DeSantis for helping him win in a crowded primary. "I am one of very few people who went through both Yale and Harvard Law School and came out more conservative than when I went in," DeSantis said.

☆ DeSantis strips Disney World of its self-governing power in Florida: 'There's a new sheriff in town'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

DeSantis has officially stripped Disney World of its self-governing status. DeSantis appointed political allies to the board, which have to be approved by the Florida Senate. Ron DeSantis abolished Walt Disney World's special authority on Monday, nearly 11 months after the company spoke out publicly against his controversial education agenda. Under the new law, board members cannot be employees, owners, or operators at Disney World. DeSantis said several times during the press conference that Disney World now had to follow the same rules as other Florida theme parks.

☆ Inside the breakup between former allies Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis as the 2024 election grows closer
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Trump first mentioned DeSantis on Twitter almost 11 years ago. Back in 2018, when DeSantis was a little-known congressman whose district included St. Augustine, it was Trump's support that got him elected. When DeSantis was in the Florida governor's mansion, and Trump was in the White House, the two collaborated on several policies. Once Trump was out, DeSantis more aggressively began burnishing his own brand but still frequently drew comparisons to Trump. Should DeSantis choose to run for president in 2024 (and most assume he will, he would need to make the case for why voters should choose him instead of Trump.

☆ NBA roundup: Kings edge Clippers 176-175 in 2OT
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Kawhi Leonard scored 44 points and Paul George added 34 points and 10 rebounds for the Clippers. Russell Westbrook scored 17 points and dished out 14 assists in his debut with the team. Brunson was held to 13 points and shot 6-of-20 after averaging 32.5 points in his final eight games before the All-Star break. Andre Drummond (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Nikola Vucevic (13 points, 10 rebounds) both notched double-doubles for Chicago. Chris Paul scored 16 points and Josh Okogie added 15 as Phoenix won for the 12th time in 16 games.

☆ Ron DeSantis admits getting married to Casey DeSantis at Disney World ended up being 'kind of ironic'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ron and Casey DeSantis got married at Walt Disney World in 2009, Insider first reported. In the interview, Casey DeSantis acknowledged that the revelation, which came ahead of Election Day, "created a lot of news." The comments confirm Insider's reporting, after interviewing a wedding guest, that Casey DeSantis "wanted something all-inclusive and put together." Casey DeSantis said in the SiriusXM Patriots interview that she didn't know DeSantis would wind up going into politics. "We went out and we had a beer," at family sports restaurant Beef o' Brady's, Casey DeSantis said in the forthcoming interview.

☆ DeSantis wants to make it harder for undocumented immigrants to work and go to college in Florida
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DeSantis is accelerating his clamp down against undocumented immigrants in Florida. Ron DeSantis of Florida rolled out a series of proposals on Thursday that would impose major restrictions on career and educational opportunities for undocumented immigrants in the state. The governor wants state legislators to repeal a state law that allows children of undocumented immigrants to get in-state college tuition rates. Under the proposal, hospitals would be required to collect data on how much they spend providing healthcare to undocumented immigrants. These cities limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities by refusing to report or hand over certain undocumented immigrants for deportation.

☆ Pence said he disagreed with DeSantis over Disney battle, breaking with the Florida governor ahead of possible 2024 matchup
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Pence and DeSantis are presumed to be seeing the 2024 GOP nomination for president. Pence drew a distinction with DeSantis on Wednesday over how he handled Disney. Under a new bill that's before DeSantis, the governor will have the power to appoint a state-run board. DeSantis didn't mention during his stumping that he married his wife, Casey DeSantis, at Disney World in 2009, a fact Insider was first to report. DeSantis' battles against big corporations go beyond Disney.

☆ Trump tried to seem unbothered by Ron DeSantis, but he can't stop writing angry Truth Social posts about him
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Cheryl Teh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

But the former president just can't stop himself from writing Truth Social posts about DeSantis. Trump wrote. The Truth Social spree came after Trump tried to appear unbothered by DeSantis. On February 13, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he doesn't spend much time thinking about his rival at all, as Insider's Kimberly Leonard reported. It's clear Trump sees DeSantis as a real threatDonald Trump and Ron DeSantis.

☆ Trump and DeSantis are on a collision course for the 2024 Republican nomination for the White House. Here's a timeline of their political relationship.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | Brent D. Griffiths | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

☆ DeSantis signs bill into law to expand a controversial program that would ship migrants to 'sanctuary cities'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Taiyler Simone Mitchell | Kimberly Leonard | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

"I can't have people all across the border coming into Florida," DeSantis said Wednesday. Ron DeSantis of Florida signed a bill into law Wednesday to expand the state's ability to move migrants to Democratic-led states. Under the expanded law, Florida could move migrants from any state and keep the details of the transportation companies secret. DeSantis' Martha's Vineyard move was viewed by critics as a cruel stunt that misled vulnerable migrants. So-called "sanctuary cities" limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities by refusing to report or hand over certain undocumented immigrants for deportation.

☆ Returns from top venture firms NEA, DCM, and Khosla have been dismal over the past 2 decades, according to filings from California's largest pension fund, CalPERS
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Ben Bergman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

CalPERS is the US's largest public pension plan, managing the retirement accounts of 1.5 million California employees and retirees. Unlike many other financial institutions, VC funds are not required to show their return on investment in startups. The CalPERS fund's $75 million bet in 2001 on a venture fund managed by the Carlyle Group lost money. A $25 million investment in DCM's 2000 fund had a 1.9% IRR. Its $260 million investment in two Khosla Ventures funds in 2009 yielded an IRR of 11.8% for the early-to-midstage fund and 6.9% for the seed-stage fund.

☆ NBA roundup: Bucks take advantage of undermanned Celtics
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The Celtics played without four starters: Jayson Tatum (illness), Jaylen Brown (facial fracture), Marcus Smart (ankle) and Al Horford (knee). Deandre Ayton provided the Suns with 29 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, while Chris Paul had 17 points to complement a season-high 19 assists. Kristaps Porzingis contributed 28 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, while Bradley Beal scored 19 points and Kendrick Nunn added 10 for Washington. Scottie Barnes added 17 points, and Precious Achiuwa amassed 11 points and 13 rebounds. Wendell Carter Jr. scored 26 points for the Magic, who have alternated wins and losses for the past six games.

☆ Nikki Haley and Donald Trump are the only declared 2024 presidential candidates. Here are the other Republicans who are considering a run.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Kimberly Leonard | Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Donald Trump and Nikki Haley are the only Republicans who have made a '24 run official. From Pence to DeSantis, here's how Republicans are laying the groundwork for presidential runs. Former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley are the only Republicans so far who have announced a 2024 presidential run, but numerous others are signaling that they're toying with the same idea. The stakes for losing the nomination aren't all bad, even if Republicans might come out of it with an unforgettable Trump nickname. Scroll through to see the lawmakers who have either already declared or are potentially gearing up for run:

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