Ron DeSantis’ Chances of Beating Donald Trump As Rivals Both Head to Iowa

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Both former President Donald Trump and Republican Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida will visit the state of Iowa today amid continued speculation that DeSantis is planning to enter the 2024 presidential race.

As Trump launches his own campaign after the 2022 midterm elections, DeSantis is widely expected to announce his own bid for the 2024 Republican nomination.

Recent polls show the former president enjoys a large lead over DeSantis among potential Republican primary voters but the governor has yet to officially become a candidate.

A YouGov/Yahoo News poll conducted among 451 registered voters from May 5 to 8 showed Trump leading DeSantis with 50 percent support to the governor’s 36 percent in a head-to-head match-up.

When other Republican candidates were included, Trump led with 48 percent support to DeSantis’ 28 percent, while the rest recorded support in the single digits. It’s a similar picture to a Morning Consult poll conducted of 3,574 registered voters from May 5 to 7 that found Trump with 60 percent support to DeSantis’ 19 percent and the rest recording single-digit support.

Trump and DeSantis’ Dueling Events

The two Republicans are both expected to deliver speeches in Iowa on Saturday. The state held its first Republican caucus in February and is considered an important early test for GOP presidential candidates.

Trump will hold a campaign rally at the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday – the second rally he has held in the state since announcing his re-election bid.

The former president is scheduled to speak at 7 pm CDT with guest speakers addressing the event before Trump takes the stage. Tickets are free but those who wish to attend are required to register.

Trump’s speech can be viewed on the C-SPAN website and may also be carried by major news networks.

US President Donald Trump introduces Florida Governor Ron DeSantis at a homecoming campaign rally at the BB&T Center on November 26, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. Trump and DeSantis will soon run against each other for the Republican presidential nomination. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

DeSantis will attend two events in Iowa on Saturday, both of which have paid admission.

The governor will first attend Representative Randy Feenstra’s annual family picnic at the Dean Family Classic Car Museum in Sioux Center on Saturday morning – tickets to that event are $50 per person but children under 18 are free.

Later, DeSantis will attend a fundraiser for the Republican Party of Iowa at The Hotel at Kirkwood Center in Cedar Rapids. The event also requires a ticket, which costs $100 per person or $175 for a couple. That event is scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm local time.

DeSantis’ Affirmations

While DeSantis has yet to formally enter the presidential race, Politico reported Friday that more than three dozen Iowa state lawmakers intend to endorse the governor ahead of his visit to the state.

DeSantis enjoys the support of several high-profile Iowa Republicans, including State Senate President Amy Sinclair, House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, and several other GOP leaders. Sinclair and Windschitl are the second-oldest members of their respective branches of the legislature.

Those endorsements will likely give DeSantis a boost when he makes his official campaign announcement, though it’s unclear when that will be.

Newsweek reached out to Trump and DeSantis’ teams via email for comment.

Update 05/13/23 07.34am ET: This article has been updated to include a new photo.

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