Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is facing a significant gap in both national and Iowa polls compared to former President Donald Trump, according to a campaign official. DeSantis had hoped to use Iowa as a launchpad for his campaign but has fallen behind Trump in the state. A recent poll found that 51 percent of likely GOP caucus-goers in Iowa chose Trump as their top choice, while DeSantis trailed at just 14 percent.
The two men appeared at the Cy-Hawk game on Saturday, with Trump receiving massive cheers alongside a smattering of jeers, while DeSantis scarcely attracted an audience beyond the staffers paid to accompany him.
“We believe it’s already a two-person race,” a top DeSantis campaign staffer told POLITICO this week. “But the reality is, on the ballot there are other choices, and our goal is to get this down to a two-person race on the ballot, especially as we head into South Carolina and beyond into March… a strong second-place [in Iowa] gives us an opportunity to go in[to] New Hampshire and show success.”
The Never Back Down Super PAC claims to have received commitments from over 12,000 Iowans to caucus for DeSantis and has already spent $5.5 million on TV ads. They plan to allocate nearly $30 million for ads, mailers, and direct voter contact in Iowa and New Hampshire before Thanksgiving.
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