Senator Joni Ernst says the fourth indictment against former President Trump has had little impact on the 2024 presidential race. “Folks are really becoming desensitized because there are so many indictments out there,” Ernst said earlier this afternoon during a news conference on the state faigrounds.
The first televised debate for the Republican Party’s presidential candidates is next week in Milwaukee. Enrst suggested the candidates would be wise to focus on the economy. “It’s what I hear all the time when I’m doing my town halls…’Groceries too high.’ ‘Gas prices are too high,'” Ernst said. “The list goes on and on and on.”
Ernst, who does not intend to endorse a candidate before the Iowa Caucuses, indicated the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is far from over and Iowa Republicans will be narrowing the field of candidates when they vote on January 15.
“Candidates can come in to a low cost state (like Iowa) and share a message and see if it resonated,” Ernst said, “and if it doesn’t, they’re going to be weeded out.”
Ernst has guided several candidates through this year’s Iowa State Fair and Ernst told reporters she heard only a couple of them directly asking Iowans to support them in the Caucuses.