While promoting his book in Iowa, Ron DeSantis stuck to his anti-woke record in Florida. But during a speech in Davenport, Trump started attacking the governor, kicking off a nasty 2024 Republican-presidential-primary competition in earnest.
Democrats may have abandoned Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus in favor of more diverse states with straightforward primaries, but the trail to the 2024 Republican presidential nomination still begins in the corn-fed heartland state. The two dominant aspirants for that prize, Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis (who has not yet declared but is almost certainly running), showed up in the last few days, previewing what may develop into a two-person cage match that leaves other candidates angling for attention and relevance.
DeSantis spoke in Davenport and Des Moines, continuing a national barnstorming tour touting his new book about his efforts to turn Florida into a right-wing paradise (unsubtly subtitled “Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Revival”). His big applause line was a boast about flying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard to mess with blue-state minds. “I’m sick of elites imposing their vision on open borders on you and on us with them not having to face the consequences of it. So we thought it was worth it to send 50 illegals to Martha’s Vineyard,” DeSantis said.
Three days later, Trump came to Davenport as well, delivering a nearly two-hour address billed as an education policy speech. It was mostly the usual ex-presidential brag-fest. There were a few spare lines about education featuring his bizarre idea that parents should directly elect school principals. But for the most part, the 45th president talked about his own greater glory and the benefits his administration had showered on Iowa farmers.
While DeSantis steered clear of comments on his most important rival, Trump had the governor clearly on his mind. Prior to his speech, Trump entertained reporters with a familiar complaint about his own role in DeSantis’s rise, as Politico reported:
Former President Donald Trump is intensifying his attacks on Florida Gov.
