Des Moines (Iowa), Jan 14: Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley pushed across ice-cold Iowa Saturday to find voters open to an alternative to former President Donald Trump with just two days before the state’s caucuses open the Republican primary calendar.
Trump, the heavy front-runner in Monday’s caucuses, opted for “tele-rallies” after canceling larger in-person events due to a blizzard blanketing much of the state, but he remained confident as he looks for a big victory to blunt the potential rise of any rival.
Shortly after arriving in Des Moines, Trump held a livestreamed town hall-style event hosted by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, one his top Iowa backers.
“It’s nasty out there,” Trump said of Iowa’s icy conditions. He confessed to some worry that weather could dampen turnout Monday but said his supporters will “walk over glass” to support him.
Perhaps more important than the margin of Trump’s expected victory is whether either of his remaining top rivals can claim a clear second-place finish and gain momentum as the race moves forward to New Hampshire and other states.
The final Des Moines Register/NBC News poll before the caucuses found Trump maintaining a formidable lead, supported by nearly half of likely caucusgoers compared with 20% for Haley and 16% for DeSantis.
Haley, the former UN ambassador and South Carolina governor, and DeSantis, the Florida governor, remain locked in a close battle for second.
Trump is also viewed more favourably than the other top contenders by likely caucusgoers, at 69% compared with 58% for DeSantis and just 48% for Haley.
Trump’s modified schedule gave DeSantis and Haley a chance to see more voters across the state on Saturday. DeSantis in particular is under great pressure in Iowa given his campaign’s heavy bet on a strong finish in the caucuses.
“You’re going to pack so much more punch on Monday night than in any other election you’ll ever be able to participate in,” the Florida governor told about 60 voters at his first event in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on the western edge of the state.
DeSantis is hoping for more voters like Michael Durham, a former Trump supporter who plans to caucus for him Monday night.
In Des Moines, Trump hit Haley for “working with” the Koch network.
Haley, for her part, was measured in her criticisms of Trump, a reflection of her attempt at broad appeal. That includes Republicans who still have favourable opinions about the former president and independents and moderate Republicans who have soured on Trump and could be wildcards on Monday.
Speaking Saturday in the liberal college town of Iowa City, Haley drew enthusiastic applause when she hit her signature line aimed at raising doubts about Trump: “Chaos follows him. You know I’m right. We can’t defeat Democratic chaos with Republican chaos.”
Haley’s appearance in Iowa City, part of the state’s most Democratic county, highlights the wide net she is casting.
DeSantis and Haley held back-to-back events a few miles apart in Davenport on Saturday evening, making little mention of the other to their friendly crowds. They’ll both travel north to Dubuque on Sunday.
Trump is looking for as wide a margin of victory as possible in Iowa. His aides say the former president can become the presumptive nominee early in the primary calendar with comfortable victories that keep DeSantis and Haley from mounting a sustained threat; alternately, his advisers have privately reminded reporters that no Republican presidential candidate has won a contested Iowa caucus by more than 12 points since Bob Dole in 1988.
After days of storm conditions, Monday’s weather is expected to be the coldest for any caucus day in history, with temperatures falling below 0 degrees Fahrenheit when Republicans are supposed to head to caucus sites. (AP)
