It must be dispiriting to drive through blizzards across Iowa all week only to see Donald Trump drop in at the last minute and effortlessly coast to record poll numbers after his event in Indianola.
It must be dispiriting to drive through blizzards across Iowa all week only to see Donald Trump drop in at the last minute and effortlessly coast to record poll numbers while pulling a standing-room crowd of passionate voters to his one event Sunday in Indianola.
“I’ve never even given anyone else a second thought,” says truck driver and diehard Trumper Bean Dutcher, 64, of the other Republican presidential candidates.
Wearing his Trump mug shot “Not Guilty” T-shirt and red “We The People Stand with Donald Trump” cap, the Indianola native is Trump or bust.
That’s the grim reality for Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley as they keep grinding away to win over small crowds and compete for second place with roughly one-fifth of the vote apiece.
According to the fabled Des Moines Register caucus eve poll, Trump, 78, is at a record 48%, while Haley, 51, has jumped to second place with 20% and DeSantis, 45, at a demoralizing 16%, despite having put all his eggs in the Iowa basket.
Not that the Florida governor was conceding anything Saturday afternoon when he showed up at his West Des Moines campaign headquarters for a pep rally with 150 volunteers and supporters crammed into the office space.
“I’d much rather be an underdog,” he said, describing the polls as “fake” and not reflective of the enthusiasm his team sees on the ground for what they are pitching as a new generation upgrade of Trump. ‘We need new blood’
Unfortunately for DeSantis, a lot more Republicans seem to prefer the original version.
“If you’re willing to fight for me and brave the elements [caucus night] then as president I’ll be fighting for you the next eight years every single day,” he vowed.
His impeccably groomed wife, Casey, joined him on stage carrying their well-behaved 5-year-old son, Mason.
“We are concerned as parents of young kids of the type of America they grow up in,” said the governor. “With this administration, we’re talking about decisions that are going to affect them for the next 50 years.”
Volunteer Caleb Primrose, 28, says he’s working for DeSantis because “We need new blood. Trump did a good job but it’s time for a new generation to lead the force.”
Still, despite spending hours hitting the phones for DeSantis as one of the most productive volunteers at HQ, Primrose confessed that he is still undecided about whether to caucus for 38-year-old wild-card challenger Vivek Ramaswamy instead.
