DeSantis Sets Sights on Iowa, Hoping It Slingshots Him Past Trump
Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida will hold a kickoff event in Iowa on Tuesday as he begins a three-state, 12-city tour at the start of his presidential campaign, aiming to win over Republicans in a socially conservative state where he is banking on a strong showing against former President Donald J. Trump.
In a recent media blitz, Mr. DeSantis has highlighted the crucial role Iowa will play in his bid, calling it “very important” in an interview on “Fox & Friends” and drawing comparisons between a six-week abortion ban he signed in Florida and a similar law in Iowa that has been tied up in court.
“I got endorsed by 37 legislators there before I even announced my candidacy,” Mr. DeSantis said on Fox News on Monday. “We obviously have a lot in common with Iowa in terms of what Florida has done and what they’ve done under Gov. Kim Reynolds. And I think the groundswell of support has been really, really strong. We’re going to press the case.”
His campaign’s decision to hold its first in-person event at Eternity Church in Clive, a suburb of Des Moines, signals the enduring importance of evangelical Christian voters in Iowa’s Republican caucuses.
Source: The New York Times
