Ron DeSantis fulfilled his campaign promise to visit each of Iowa’s 99 counties, telling an audience in a central Iowa town, “This shows me that I consider myself a servant, not a ruler.” It should be shown,” he said, crossing a symbolic yet tactical threshold.
Former President Donald Trump, who still has a wide lead over DeSantis, mocked him at a large rally about 100 miles away, leaving the Florida governor’s campaign depressed ‘like a seriously wounded bird.’ He said he was.
Thus, the Florida governor’s moment, like previous months of campaigning, occurred under President Trump’s towering shadow.
Trump’s presence on DeSantis’ big day highlights the challenges he and other Trump rivals face in Iowa. He said he expects DeSantis to win in the caucuses. He has focused much of his campaign on the state, with a super PAC supporting him investing more than $16 million in advertising and building a campaign organization for the Jan. 15 caucuses. We are working.
But even with support from Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, DeSantis has been unable to make inroads into Trump’s sizable lead and faces renewed pressure from former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley’s campaign. are doing.
DeSantis painted the unfashionable feat of presidential candidates of visiting every county in Iowa as a family adventure. One time, he visited the set of the baseball movie Field of Dreams and threw a baseball diamond dug in a cornfield to the children.
Stops at famous bakeries and ice cream parlors led to a bizarre story about how his family, including his wife and three young children, has been trekking through Iowa since May. But the mission taught him more than that, he said.
“We’re going to meet people, we’re going to make noise and we’re going to get votes,” he said at an event center in Jasper County, just east of Des Moines in central Iowa. “But is it just about politics?”
Mr. Trump has lashed out at Mr. DeSantis, mainly accusing him of being dishonest in running against Trump after asking for his support when he first ran for governor.
“We hit him hard and he fell out of the air like a badly wounded bird,” Trump said during an event in Cedar Rapids, using his right hand to symbolize DeSantis’ fall. rotated his index finger.
By visiting each county on Iowa’s vast checkerboard, DeSantis’ advisers will be able to squeeze key support from small, rural counties, while also showing a willingness to seek statewide support. claims that it can be done.
But she has faced internal problems in her political career, with two key officials leaving a major super PAC supporting her and a challenge from Haley as Trump’s chief competitor. are also facing. She is rising in her early state polls and is gaining support from the American public for Prosperity, the political arm of the powerful Koch network.
Over the past year, many Iowa Republicans have supported President Trump and his nominations, particularly the three Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade and eliminate federally guaranteed abortion rights. He has said he will continue to support the president’s accomplishments.
Some Republicans feel that Trump has been weakened by the charges, even if they view the case as politically motivated. But few in the Republican field are attacking Trump as a campaign centerpiece, fearing such criticism could backfire.
Nathaniel Gabronski, a Republican from Wayne County, Iowa, attended Trump’s event in Cedar Rapids. Gabronski has met with all candidates at the January caucuses and is likely to support North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, he said.
Gabronski said DeSantis’ visits to all 99 counties helped his campaign. In reality, you have to answer much more difficult questions. ”
“Trump is going to win. If it gets to the point where Trump might not win my caucus, I’m going to take the plunge and put Trump in there,” he said.
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Price reported from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.