The final blitz is underway as candidates and their campaigns rush to convince supporters to attend tonight’s Caucuses.
Former President Donald Trump is holding a “telerally” at noon. Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley stopped by a Des Moines diner early this morning and will hold a “statewide telephone town hall” at 5 p.m.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is making stops in Sioux City, Council Bluffs and Cedar Rapids today. “We know we’ve got a huge number of people who are 100% going to show up for us and then we know we’ve got a lot more people who are very likely to show up for us,” DeSantis said during an interview with Radio Iowa Sunday night. “There’s been a lot of hard work and that’s going to pay dividends for us.”
DeSantis, who first visited Iowa as part of a book tour last winter, launched his campaign last spring and made campaign stops in all 99 counties. “There’s going to be a vote,” DeSantis said. “We think we’re going to do well and then, Tuesday morning, it’s going to be a new world.”
The latest Des Moines Register NBC News Iowa Poll shows DeSantis in third place in Iowa, Haley in second place — and former President Donald Trump 28 points ahead of her. DeSantis said Trump has been the “default choice” for many Republicans, but “hen I’m out here making my case, it lands with conservative voters.”
DeSantis has been saying he thinks he’ll win the Iowa Caucuses, but he’s recently added the caveat that this is a long race for delegates at the national convention.
During his Radio Iowa interview, DeSantis pointed out that Iowa has 20 delegates compared to New Hampshire’s 10.
Businessman Vivek Ramaswmy is making stops in Urbandale, Waterloo and Cedar Rapids. He’ll visit a Caucus site in Clive tonight.