It’s an implicit rebuke of ex-President Donald Trump, who had planned a Saturday outdoor rally in Des Moines, but canceled it amid a tornado watch.
Standing at the precipice of a likely presidential campaign, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told Iowans Saturday that the GOP must reject a “culture of losing” and embrace a positive vision for the future if they want to win in 2024.
“Both Florida and Iowa show strong leadership and a bold agenda can defeat the left in this country,” he said. “But there’s no substitute for victory. We must reject the culture of losing that’s infected our party in recent years. The time for excuses is over. We’ve got to demonstrate the courage to lead and the strength to win.”
It’s an implicit rebuke of former President Donald Trump, who appears to lead the current 2024 presidential field as a front-runner — even after losing the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden and promoting candidates who lost their 2022 midterm battles.
The comments came as Trump was scheduled to hold a dueling event in the first-in-the-nation caucus state. DeSantis planned another stop in Cedar Rapids, while Trump was scheduled to appear at an evening outdoor rally in Des Moines, but Trump canceled the event, citing possible severe weather. A tornado warning was in effect for Polk County extending to 7 p.m., when he was scheduled to speak.
DeSantis, who is expected to jump into the presidential race imminently, did not discuss Trump by name. But he echoed calls from many Iowa Republicans who say they want to move forward rather than focusing on past grievances.
“If we make the 2024 election a referendum on Joe Biden and his failures, and we provide a positive alternative … Republicans will win across the board,” DeSantis said. “If we do not do that – if we get distracted, if we focus the election on the past or on other side issues — then I think the Democrats are going to beat us again.”
DeSantis spoke at U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra’s annual picnic fundraiser in Sioux Center. The event was a who’s who of Iowa’s top elected officials, including Gov. Kim Reynolds, U.S.
