Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) was set to dominate Iowa — and national — political news coverage with his appearances at Republican fundraising events on May 13. But former President Donald Trump was never going to let that happen.
DeSantis, pondering a bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, will still that day headline Rep. Randy Feenstra’s (R-IA) annual summer fundraiser in northwestern Iowa. The Florida governor also will speak at a party fundraiser later that evening in the eastern Iowa city of Cedar Rapids.
DESANTIS WILL RETURN TO IOWA AS GUEST AT RANDY FEENSTRA FUNDRAISER NEXT MONTH
Now, though, DeSantis must compete with Trump, who is trying for another White House term. Trump on May 13 is set to hold a rally in downtown Des Moines at the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park. The rally at 7 p.m. Central time, around the same time as DeSantis’s speaking gig on May 13, virtually guarantees major coverage on the cable channels for Trump, largely drowning out his rival’s message.
Trump’s bit of counterprogramming comes amid his recent torrent of social media posts blasting DeSantis over everything from his governance of Florida to having once (purportedly) eaten pudding with his fingers. DeSantis has been considered the strongest GOP contender against Trump to challenge President Joe Biden. DeSantis hasn’t entered the primary scrum, likely waiting until the end of Florida’s annual legislative session in mid-May.
Iowa remains a key state in the Republican nomination process. The Hawkeye State’s caucuses are the first in which Republicans vote. (Democrats, with Biden to date having avoided a major Democratic primary challenge, shoved Iowa to the middle of its nominating calendar.)
Vivek’s early state visits
Trump and DeSantis, of course, aren’t the only Republican presidential candidates, declared or not, spending time in Iowa. The most active to date is Vivek Ramaswamy, a wealthy biotechnology entrepreneur whose trademark issue is the scourge of “wokeness” in the corporate sphere.
Ramaswamy has already visited Iowa numerous times, and he’ll be there again before and during the campaign events there by Trump and DeSantis. Ramaswamy on May 9 will participate in “Civil Debate or Civil War: Discussion with Vivek” in Treynor, Iowa. His next event is May 10 at the Johnson County Republican Central Committee’s Spring Dinner in Iowa City.
After that, Ramaswamy will appear with Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) at an Urbandale rally on May 11. Then it’s on to a May 12 Clinton County Iowa Republican Central Committee Dinner in Goose Lake. And on May 13, Ramaswamy will be at Ringer Golf in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for an “Enjoy a Round with Vivek” event.
Scott gets real on presidential campaign
Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) is set to make his presidential campaign official. Scott previously opened an exploratory committee, allowing him to survey the campaign landscape against declared candidates, including Trump, Ramaswamy, former Gov. Nikki Haley (R-SC), and former Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR), along with possible entrants to the GOP primary fight such as DeSantis, former Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ), former Vice President Mike Pence, and Gov. Chris Sununu (R-NH).
Now Scott, the only black Republican senator, will fully plunge into the presidential waters.
“May 22. North Charleston. It’s time to take the final step. See y’all there!” Scott tweeted on April 30, leaving little doubt of his intentions.
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Scott, unlikely DeSantis, has largely been spared verbal jabs by Trump. That’s left Scott free to focus more on policy issues, such as tax cuts, empowerment zones in low-income communities, and other free market solutions to the nation’s ills.
Scott has largely cast himself in the mold of President Ronald Reagan, with a sunny and optimistic approach that seeks to tap into every citizen’s innate potential. It’s a strategy that stands in stark contrast with Trump’s worldview, which he lamented in his 2017 presidential inaugural speech as “American Carnage.”
