Florida Governor Ron DeSantis hosted a backyard picnic fundraiser Saturday to attract conservative voters in Iowa’s battleground state. DeSantis presented himself as an outsider willing to engage in cultural battles while downplaying violence at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Trump took advantage of this event to jab at his opponents for their lack of seriousness and lame arguments against him.
The Venue
President Trump is hitting the road hard before Iowa caucuses on January 15. His campaign announced this week he will host “Commit to Caucus” rallies in at least five Iowa counties this week.
Dordt University announced that his speech will take place at Terrace View Event Center, seating an estimated 814 attendees.
Dordt says it partnered with Donald Trump’s campaign in organizing this event, but their vision and that of Dordt did not coincide. A statement issued by Dordt noted:
Ron DeSantis of Florida used a family picnic in rural northwestern Iowa to take aim at Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley over their remarks about Iowa as an early voting state; yet avoided direct attacks against his de facto leader who continues leading in Iowa according to an Insider Advantage poll.
Trump’s Speech
Donald Trump is taking advantage of his large lead over rival candidates by spending this weekend in Iowa to urge voters to commit to caucusing. His campaign has organized over 300 trainings where supporters will be paired with volunteers who distribute gold-stitched “Trump caucus captain” hats in order to encourage attendance at first-in-the-nation caucuses on Jan 15th.
He harshly criticized Vice President Joe Biden for allowing migrants to “flood into our country,” using dark rhetoric against possible immigration-related crime. In doing so, he again used his signature negative terminology against immigrants he called “blood-stained people” who threatened national safety – an echoing Hitler’s ideas about white blood purity.
Trump also took aim at the Democratic National Committee, accusing Hillary Clinton of using secret balloting during their 2016 race, while simultaneously criticizing enemies including his business fraud trial prosecutor who’s seeking jail time against him and convincing voters he could lower gas prices, boost drilling operations and combat inflation.
Trump’s Response
Barbara LaGow of Minnesota traveled two hours on Friday night to hear Donald Trump speak, after feeling “cheated” by Hillary Clinton in her bid for president in 2016. LaGow wanted to show her support this time around by attending Trump’s speech and show she still supports him.
Shootings at Perry Elementary cast a shadow over Friday’s events, yet didn’t stop candidates from campaigning across Iowa – with Republican Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley holding events near where one sixth grader had been shot and killed.
Both candidates avoided discussing the shooting itself and instead focused on issues of gun control. Both emphasized the need to protect Second Amendment rights and fight for concealed carry firearm rights; both challenged each other over comments their rival made about Iowa in early caucuses – Haley was specifically taken to task by DeSantis and Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie for suggesting New Hampshire voters could “correct” Iowan caucuses results – DeSantis and Massie took great delight in mocking her comment as it suggested Iowans weren’t as wise as other Republicans among themselves.
Trump’s Follow-Up
Donald Trump cautioned his supporters on Friday evening not to become complacent with their polling lead as they kicked off their sprint toward Iowa caucuses with their inaugural events of his campaign. Trump held two commit-to-caucus events at different parts of Iowa – Mason City in its far northwest corner and Newton/Clinton respectively in its central and eastern sections – before heading onward to Newton/Clinton on Saturday for further events related to Iowa caucuses.
Trump’s legal troubles have only strengthened his support among many who plan to caucus for him in 2024. Trump turned Ashli Babbitt, the woman who died while rioting at the Capitol, into a MAGA martyr and has promised pardon for some of those charged in relation to Jan. 6 violence who face prison time.
At his Sioux Center rally, Trump took aim at Republican rivals Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley who held separate events that day, accusing them of using criminal justice processes against him in order to harm him politically.
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