Revealed: January 10, 2024 03:56 PM
Whereas his Republican rivals traded hearth, Trump loved a relaxed Fox Information city corridor
As Donald Trump’s two main Republican rivals slugged it out Wednesday on a Iowa debate stage, the former president appeared across town on a Fox News Channel town hall in a counterprogramming move where few discouraging words were heard.
Trump walked onstage to cheers and chants of “USA,” stayed at the end to sign autographs and heard one audience member blurt out “love you” after he took her question.
He was barely challenged by questioners who left several challenging topics on the table — like Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election, his support for Capitol insurrectionists and legal arguments this week in which his lawyers claimed he had immunity from any potential crimes he might have conducted while in office.
When asked about his previous statements that a second term as president would be about retribution for his enemies, Trump said he wouldn’t have time for it.
“The ultimate retribution,” he said, “is success.”
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One takeaway from tonight’s debate: The candidates attacked Trump — but carefully
By NICHOLAS RICCARDI
By staying physically offstage, Trump has largely avoided being attacked in the debates. It’s tricky to criticize a man beloved by most Republican voters, and for the most part, the contenders haven’t bothered. But that’s been slowly changing, and continued to Wednesday.
DeSantis opened with what’s become his standard campaign sound bite that claims that Trump is only interested in “his issues” and DeSantis cares about “your issues.” Haley quickly criticized the former president for piling onto the federal deficit, not being strong enough against China and failing to end illegal immigration.
The main mission for both candidates was to vault into second. But there are increasing signs that both know that, if they make it there, they have to have an argument for why Republican voters should back them and not their former president.
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Haley and DeSantis say the other was a good governor
Toward the end of the debate, DeSantis and Haley were asked what they admired about the other.
DeSantis cited Haley’s time as South Carolina’s governor and as the United Nations ambassador during Trump’s administration.
“At the United Nations, I did think that she spoke out strongly on some key issues, and I appreciated that,” DeSantis said. “I also appreciate the state of South Carolina. My wife is a College of Charleston graduate. Her parents lived there for many, many years. And so it is a wonderful state. There’s a lot of great people there. To be able to have been governor, there is a great achievement.”
Haley’s answer was succinct: “I think he’s been a good governor.” It prompted an awkward “OK” from CNN’s Jake Tapper.
Trump advisers sound optimistic note after debate
Trump’s advisers are feeling confident heading into the Iowa caucuses.
Trump senior adviser Jason Miller told reporters that Wednesday night’s debate between Haley and DeSantis showed “two candidates who were nowhere near ready for primetime.”
Asked if they had any concerns about with record lows forecast in Iowa for caucus day, senior adviser Chris LaCivita quipped: “Wear a coat.”
He added the campaign has “people that are actually from Iowa who are running Iowa so they know that in January, it snows.” He also said there are “contingencies” in place, including drivers to get people to caucus sites.
No need to wean US off oil and gas, Haley and DeSantis agree
Haley and DeSantis say there is no need for Americans to wean themselves off oil and gas when it comes to dealing with climate change.
After the two found much else to spar over Wednesday, both suggested there was no point in the U.S. cutting its fossil fuel use since China was the world’s top polluter. Climate scientists disagree.
“The reason I took us out of the Paris climate agreement was because … they didn’t do anything to hold China and India to account,” said Haley, who was the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. when Trump pulled the country out of the landmark global climate deal.
Both also said they’d target Biden’s climate-friendly efforts as president and suggested that U.S. technology could innovate the country’s way out of climate danger.
‘Here in Florida’
If you tuned in at the wrong time, you might have thought the debate was filmed in Florida rather than snowy Iowa.
DeSantis spent much of his time onstage talking about his work as governor in his home state, even using the term “here in Florida” without correcting himself during the debate.
“We are in a situation here in Florida and as Republicans, you need somebody that is going to be in there and fight for you,” he said.
Even CNN moderator Jake Tapper slipped up on the debate location in the second hour.
“Here in Florida — I’m sorry, Gov. DeSantis, here in Iowa,” Tapper said before referring to the floods that have left farms underwater in the Midwestern state.
Haley and DeSantis asked about Trump’s call to terminate parts of Constitution
Haley and DeSantis were asked whether there was a meaningful difference in how they and the former president view the Constitution, considering Trump once called for the “termination” of parts of the document over his lie that the 2020 election was stolen.
Haley says it’s wrong for Trump to continue to falsely claim the 2020 election was stolen. She called the Jan. 6 Capitol riot a “terrible day” and said, “I think President Trump will have to answer for it.”
DeSantis deflected a bit after saying that it was fair for the media to criticize Trump on this issue.
“You can’t just terminate the Constitution. I know he does word vomit from time to time on social media. But obviously I will uphold the Constitution.”
But he quickly changed the topic to COVID-19 and how federal authorities imposed strict rules for lockdowns and social distancing.
Scenes from the fifth Republican debate
By The Associated Press
‘Ballistic podiatry’
In a well-rehearsed zinger during a back-and-forth over Social Security reform, DeSantis joked that Haley has a “problem with ballistic podiatry.”
That means “shooting yourself in the foot every other day,” he quickly explained, drawing an eye roll from Haley.
The joke was a nod to Haley’s recent campaign trail gaffes, among them her omission of slavery when a voter asked her about the causes of the Civil War.
DeSantis campaign ally Rep. Thomas Massie used the term on the social media platform X last week after Haley said in an interview that you “change personalities” going from Iowa to New Hampshire.
“We called this ballistic podiatry at MIT,” the GOP Kentucky congressman wrote.
Raising the retirement age? Haley supports it, DeSantis doesn’t
By The Associated Press
DeSantis and Haley are disagreeing over whether to raise the retirement age.
Haley supports raising the retirement age and has said that the current age of 65 is too low.
DeSantis on Wednesday night referenced his grandmother, who lived to be 91 and whose sole source of income was Social Security. He cited declining life expectancy in the United States as a reason he wouldn’t support raising the age.
Haley said DeSantis voted as a congressman to raise the retirement age to 70. She says, “You can’t trust him.”
Haley mocks DeSantis for campaign challenges
Haley is mocking DeSantis and the challenges his campaign has faced as numerous senior members of a super PAC backing him have resigned or been fired in recent weeks.
“It’s been a revolving door of political people in and out of his campaign,” Haley said.
“If he can’t handle the financial parts of a campaign, how is he going to handle the economy when it comes to the White House?” he asked.
DeSantis says Haley likes to focus on political processes that voters do not care about while he prefers to talk about his record as a governor.
School choice sparks disagreement at GOP debate
DeSantis and Haley are clashing over how they would lead the country in terms of education reform.
Asked about South Carolina’s low ranking in terms of K-12 education during her time as governor, Haley said she advocated for more parent involvement and apprenticeships that “taught our kids how to build the things we’re making.”
DeSantis responded that Haley had “caved to the teachers union” when she was governor and wasn’t able to get school choice. DeSantis says school choice is “universal” in Florida, passed through a state Legislature that has been very favorable to him.
Haley said she “wanted school choice” but that her own state’s Republican legislature wouldn’t do it.
Trump says he already knows who he’d pick as VP
Donald Trump sidestepped a question about who is in the running to be his running mate if he wins the nomination, but suggested he’s already made up his mind.
“Well I can’t tell you that, really,” he said at a Fox News town hall. He added: “I mean, I know who it’s going to be.”
Trump was asked if he would consider someone who has run against him and was open to mending fences.
“Oh sure, I will, I will. I’ve already started to like Christie better,” he quipped after Christie, who dropped out of the race Wednesday, was caught on a hot mic saying he thinks Haley has no chance.
Christie was one of Trump’s top finalists for his running mate in 2016, but he chose Mike Pence instead.
Christie, a vocal Trump critic, has made clear he has no interest in the role.
Haley says DeSantis brought ‘most anti-Israel Republican’ to Iowa
During a discussion on the Israel-Hamas War, Haley twice accused DeSantis of bringing “the most anti-Israel Republican” with him on the campaign trail in Iowa.
She was referring to Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who has been stumping for DeSantis in Iowa.
Massie was the lone House Republican to vote against a GOP resolution condemning antisemitism on university campuses in December. He has previously critiqued antisemitism-related legislation as restricting free speech.
DeSantis dismissed the jab, which Haley has used before while campaigning.
“That’s just cheap garbage,” DeSantis said.
Haley pans Biden for not knowing about Austin’s hospitalization
Haley says Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s secret hospitalization is evidence that the Biden administration doesn’t have a handle on how to handle the war between Israel and Hamas — or his own Cabinet.
Asked if she would support strikes on Iran to knock out Hezbollah, Haley said dealing with the situation was further complicated by Austin’s recent hospitalization for prostate cancer. The White House has said President Joe Biden didn’t know until Austin had already been in the hospital for days.
“How does Biden not talk to his secretary of defense every single day, knowing that we have a war in Europe, a war in the Middle East?” Haley asked. “The idea that the secretary of defense would not even be in contact with the president, much less than contact with his staff, is unforgivable.”
Haley and DeSantis split on support for Ukraine
Haley and DeSantis are splitting on the U.S. continuing support for Ukraine’s defense, with DeSantis suggesting it’s not a top U.S. priority.
DeSantis accused Haley of wanting an “open-ended commitment” of U.S. money and arms for Ukraine. For his part, DeSantis said of Ukraine’s battle against Russian invaders, “we need to find a way to end this.” The U.S. should be focusing instead on the border and competition with China, he said.
Haley cast supporting Ukraine as a vital U.S. priority, saying it was essential to stop Russia’s aggression.
“You do not have to choose” between priorities like the border and Ukraine, she said. “This is about keeping America safe. This is about preventing war.”
DeSantis knocks Haley with ‘pale pastels’ insult
DeSantis has twice used the phrasing of “pale pastels” as a knock on Haley. She is the only woman in the race, and she is standing next to him on stage, clad in a pastel pink dress.
DeSantis first used the reference to portray the former South Carolina governor as in favor of raising taxes. He said, “We need to fly a flag of bold colors. Carrying the banner putting the American people first — not the pale pastels of the warmed-over corporatism of people like Nikki Haley.”
Minutes later, he said it again in reference to immigration, saying Haley is “bankrolled by people who want open borders” and adding, “You should work with corporate CEOs, Governor, that is pale pastels.”
Both candidates evade a question on Trump’s character
By The Associated Press
Neither Haley nor DeSantis answered directly a question about whether Trump “has the character to be president.”
“His way is not my way,” Haley said. “I don’t have vengeance. I don’t have vendettas. I don’t take things personally.”
DeSantis said Trump failed to deliver on his promises to build a border wall and make Mexico pay for it, prosecute Hillary Clinton, “drain the swamp” or eliminate the national debt.
“We need to deliver and get this stuff done,” DeSantis said.
Haley says remark about New Hampshire needing to ‘correct’ Iowa’s decision was a joke
Haley says she was only joking when she told voters in New Hampshire that they would have the opportunity to “correct” the decision made by Iowa caucusgoers.
DeSantis reminded viewers on Wednesday night about her comments and called them insulting.
“She was in another state, and she said the people of Iowa need to be corrected,” DeSantis said. “We don’t need a candidate who is going to look down on middle America.”
“Iowans know when you’re telling a joke,” Haley replied.
Haley touts her UN experience
Haley is pointing to her foreign policy experience pretty often in the opening minutes of the debate.
“I dealt with Russia, Iran, China every day,” she said of her time as U.N. ambassador. “No one ever said I caved. I defended America and I fought for America.”
Haley and DeSantis trade jabs on lies
At the very start of the debate, DeSantis and Haley are going after each other for lying and misrepresenting their positions.
Referencing Haley, DeSantis said, “We don’t need another mealy-mouthed politician who just tells you what she thinks you want to hear just to try to get your vote, then to get an office and to do her donors’ bidding.” He also mentioned her previous positive comments about drawing inspiration from Hillary Clinton, a point that he’s hit repeatedly during the GOP campaign.
Haley several times mentioned a new website called DeSantisLies.com that her campaign has stood up. She said that DeSantis’ campaign is “exploding” and that “he’s only mad about the donors, because the donors used to be with him, but they’re no longer with him now.”
Haley’s campaign also blasted out an email heralding the website as her “surprise gift” that would be “detailing and fact checking all of DeSantis’ lies.”
Where is Trump tonight?
For all the attention on Haley and DeSantis, the commanding front-runner in the race will again be absent.
Donald Trump, who is aiming to quickly close in on securing his third consecutive GOP nomination, is skipping the debate hosted by CNN and instead appearing on Fox News for a live town hall at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.
He’ll be sitting down with Fox News hosts Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum. Trump rarely sits for interviews with mainstream hosts. His recent Fox town halls have been with his longtime friend Sean Hannity, though he did participate in a heated CNN town hall.
His last sit-down with Baier included pointed questions about his handling of classified information and other topics.
The fifth GOP primary debate is underway
This is the final pre-caucus chance for DeSantis and Haley to make their arguments to Iowans that they’re the best choice as caucus-goers seeking an alternative to Trump, who has been the GOP frontrunner throughout the campaign.
Trump also qualified for the debate but is participating in a town hall of his own on Fox News, several miles from the debate site in Des Moines.
The debate comes just hours after Christie shuttered his campaign during a town hall in New Hampshire.
T-minus 10 minutes until showtime. Here’s how to watch along.
CNN is carrying the debate live on its broadcast network, as well as on CNN International, CNN en Español and CNN Max.
It’s the first debate of the 2024 election cycle that CNN is hosting. It’s being moderated by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.
Why the Iowa caucuses matter so much
Iowa often has a winnowing effect on the field, nudging underperforming candidates out of the race.
In the 2016 Republican caucuses, 2008 caucus winner Mike Huckabee and 2012 winner Rick Santorum both ended their campaigns shortly after their ninth and eleventh places finishes.
Sorry candidates, but the Drake University mascot might be tonight’s crowd favorite
Meet Griff II. His tie deserves a round of a-paws.
How do the Iowa Republican caucuses work?
What are the Iowa caucuses and why do they matter? What is at stake for Republican presidential candidates? Hear from an Associated Press reporter based in Des Moines who will be covering his sixth round of caucuses in 2024.
There will be two main agenda items at every Republican caucus site: holding a binding vote for the party’s presidential nominee and electing delegates to attend county conventions, which is the next step in the multi-tiered process of electing delegates to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this summer.
The binding presidential vote functions essentially like a party-run primary, only with very limited polling hours and no accommodation for absentee voting, except for a tiny handful of overseas and military voters.
There are speeches on behalf of various candidates before the voting and a variety of party business after the vote. Individual caucus chairs are allowed to exercise some discretion in how to conduct the vote, but the voting is done by secret ballot and there is no set list of candidates. Voters must be given the option to vote for any candidate they choose.
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What to watch for tonight
In style, if not substance, Wednesday’s one-on-one debate may offer the closest thing to a general election debate preview that we’ve seen. Only Haley and DeSantis will be on stage. There is no place to hide and no other candidates to get in the way.
Some of the most memorable moments in past debates have featured Haley feuding with Vivek Ramaswamy. That’s all in the past, given that Ramaswamy didn’t meet the polling threshold this time.
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Hear Christie’s hot mic moment
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was overheard on a hot mic saying that Nikki Haley is “going to get smoked” moments before announcing he is dropping out of the Republican presidential race on Wednesday.
Trump’s not on the stage. But he is top of mind.
By STEVE PEOPLES, THOMAS BEAUMONT
Despite his legal troubles, former president Donald Trump is casting a large shadow over Iowa’s 2024 Republican caucuses. (Jan. 5)
Voters, campaign operatives and even some of the candidates on the ground here overwhelmingly agree that the Republican former president is the prohibitive favorite heading into the Jan. 15 caucuses — whether they like it or not.
Just beneath all the perceived certainty about Trump’s victory, however, lies serious risks for the front-runner. Trump continues to fuel sky-high expectations, despite questions about the strength of his voter-turnout operation, a closing message clouded by lies about the 2020 election and stormy weather forecasts that could dissuade supporters from showing up.
Few believe such issues will lead to a straight-up loss next week in Iowa, but in the complicated world of presidential politics, a win is not always a win.
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What’s at stake for Republicans in Iowa?
For Republicans, there are usually two prizes in the Iowa caucuses: delegates and bragging rights.
Iowa Republican voters will indicate their picks for the party’s presidential nominee, and the results of that vote will determine how many of the state’s 40 convention delegates each candidate will receive. Candidates win national convention delegates in direct proportion to the percentage of the vote they receive. There is no minimum threshold required to qualify for delegates.
For Democrats, nothing is at stake, since the 2024 caucuses will have no bearing on the presidential race.
Dozens of vehicles stranded after Iowa snowstorm
By HANNAH FINGERHUT
An AP reporter driving from Des Moines to Davenport for a Trump campaign event spotted dozens of cars and trucks stranded along the side of Interstate 80, a major artery through Iowa.
A couple of trucks were on their side, while other vehicles had crashed into a barrier along the median.
Candidates were forced to cancel their events earlier in the week when heavy snow hit the leadoff caucus state. Vivek Ramaswamy said his car got stuck in a ditch while driving in snowy weather Monday night to Des Moines from northwest Iowa.
Trump and DeSantis agree: Haley will ‘get smoked’
Trump and DeSantis don’t agree on much but do find common ground on one thing: Christie’s parting shot at Haley.
Trump said Wednesday that he might “even get to like” Christie again after the departing presidential candidate was caught on a hot mic saying that Haley was “going to get smoked” and was “not up to this.”
DeSantis’ sentiment in a post on X was similar: “I agree with Christie that Nikki Haley is ‘going to get smoked.’”
I agree with Christie that Nikki Haley is “going to get smoked.”
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) January 10, 2024
Haley, in the meantime, was gracious in her properly needs for Christie, calling her former fellow governor “a pal for a few years” and commending him “on a hard-fought marketing campaign.”
Who’s left operating for president?
Christie’s announcement narrows the Republican major discipline to 5 candidates:
However these aren’t the one names vying for a spot in opposition to President Joe Biden. A number of candidates are nonetheless competing for the Democratic nomination, and there’s a number of third-party contenders within the combine.
And with that, the primary race has lost another contender
Chris Christie is ending his Republican presidential bid before Iowa’s leadoff caucuses in a last-ditch effort to deny Donald Trump from a glidepath to the nomination (Jan. 10)
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said that he’s ending his Republican presidential bid just days before Iowa’s leadoff caucuses in a last-ditch effort to deny Donald Trump a glidepath to the nomination.
“My goal has never been to be just a voice against the hate and division and the selfishness of what our party has become under Donald Trump,” Christie said at a town hall in New Hampshire.
“I’ve always said that if there came a point in time in this race where I couldn’t see a path to accomplishing that goal, that I would get out,” he said. “And it’s clear to me tonight that there isn’t a path for me to win the nomination, which is why I’m suspending my campaign tonight for president of the United States.”
Christie caught on a hot mic bashing his rivals
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was caught on a hot mic bashing rival Nikki Haley moments before he was expected to end his campaign at a New Hampshire town hall.
“She’s going to get smoked,” he said of Haley, adding: “She’s not up to this.”
He also said that former Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had called him, “petrified,” but the hot mic was cut before he finished speaking.
As his remarks got underway, Christie appeared to defend his performance in the race as former President Donald Trump continues to dominate.
“People don’t want to hear it. They don’t want to hear it. We know we’re right but they don’t want to hear it,” he said. “We couldn’t have been any clearer. We couldn’t have been any more direct or worked any harder.”
Chris Christie is speaking now
By The Associated Press
“We’re in this race to tell the truth. From the beginning, we’ve been in this race to tell the truth,” the former Gov. said to kick off a speech that could be his last as a presidential primary candidate.
Follow his remarks at a town hall in Windham, New Hampshire.
Christie’s anti-Trump platform didn’t resonate with Republican voters
Republican presidential candidate former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaks at a town hall campaign event at Mitchell Hill BBQ Grill and Brew, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Rochester, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Christie had run as the race’s fiercest critic of the former president-turned-GOP front-runner. He warned voters against nominating a candidate who has been criminally indicted four times and could very well be a convicted felon by the November general election. And he argued Trump will lose in a rematch with President Joe Biden, the likely Democratic nominee.
While his anti-Trump message attracted much media attention and helped bring in waves of small-dollar donations that kept him in the race — and on the debate stage — far longer than many expected, Christie was plagued by high unfavorability ratings in a party that remains deeply loyal to Trump.
He also remained mired in the single digits in national polling.
Nonetheless, Christie managed to outlast far better-known and better-funded candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, in part because he ran a frugal campaign.
Instead of flying by private jet and hiring a litany of expensive consultants, he relied on a tight-knit staff of just over a dozen people and had a far lower “burn rate” than rivals like DeSantis, spending far less per day.
Haley’s camp hopes to gain Christie’s supporters
Republican presidential candidates former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley talks with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie during a break at the Republican presidential primary debate hosted by NBC News, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Allies of Nikki Haley, including New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu and other anti-Trump Republicans, had been urging Christie to exit, hoping a large portion of his supporters would flock to Haley, giving her a chance to turn the race into a two-candidate contest with Trump, the overwhelming favorite for the nomination.
The New Hampshire poll — which showed Christie at 12% — found about two-thirds of his supporters would select Haley as their second choice.
JUST IN: Christie is planning to end his presidential bid, AP source says
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is planning to announce he’s dropping his Republican presidential bid at his New Hampshire town hall on Wednesday night.
That’s according to a person with direct knowledge of the former New Jersey governor’s plans who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to disclose private discussions.
The news comes as a surprise, given that Christie had staked the success of his campaign on New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary, which is less than two weeks away. He had insisted as recently as Tuesday night that he had no plans to leave the race, rebuffing growing calls for him to step aside as he continued to cast himself as the only candidate willing to directly take on the former president.
“I would be happy to get out of the way for someone who is actually running against Donald Trump,” he said at a town hall in Rochester, New Hampshire, while arguing that none of his rivals had stepped up to the plate.
“I’m famous enough. … I’ve got plenty of titles. … The only reason to do this is to win,” he added. “So I’d be happy to get out of the way for somebody if they actually were going against Donald Trump.”
But Christie faced a stark reality: While recent polls showed him reaching the double digits in New Hampshire, Haley shows signs of momentum. A CNN/UNH poll performed within the state this week discovered Trump’s lead all the way down to the only digits, with 4 in 10 probably Republican major voters selecting Trump and about one-third now selecting Haley.
Christie tells allies he plans to make main announcement at New Hampshire city corridor, AP supply says
Republican presidential candidate former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie speaks at a city corridor marketing campaign occasion at Mitchell Hill BBQ Grill and Brew, Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Rochester, N.H. (AP Picture/Robert F. Bukaty)
Republican presidential contender Chris Christie has notified key allies that he plans to make a significant announcement at a marketing campaign cease Wednesday night in New Hampshire.
That’s based on an individual with direct information of the previous New Jersey governor’s plans who spoke to The Related Press on situation of anonymity to reveal personal discussions.
It’s unclear what the announcement is likely to be, however Christie has been beneath intense stress to exit the Republican presidential major race as critics of Donald Trump work to unify behind a viable various to the previous president.
Christie is scheduled to host a city corridor assembly in Windham at 5 p.m.
Tonight’s stakes are excessive, particularly for Haley
Haley and DeSantis have spent a lot of the Republican presidential major flanked by lower-polling rivals, so the stakes are excessive for the previous U.N. ambassador and the Florida governor at Wednesday’s debate.
The second is particularly necessary for Haley, a politician lengthy recognized for her disciplined strategy to messaging however who has not too long ago suffered a sequence of gaffes.
As DeSantis and Haley face off in Iowa GOP debate, urgency may spark fireworks
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Simply two Republican presidential candidates, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, will meet on the controversy stage Wednesday night time. With simply 5 days earlier than the Iowa caucuses, the controversy could also be their final, greatest probability to vary the trajectory of the race earlier than voting begins.
The massive front-runner, Donald Trump, was the one different candidate to fulfill the ten% polling threshold to take part. However as he has six occasions earlier than, the Republican former president is declining to point out up given his overwhelming lead within the polls.
Right here’s what we’re watching heading into the 9 p.m. EST occasion that will likely be hosted by CNN.
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Oops!
DeSantis left an necessary merchandise in Florida when he flew again to Iowa after delivering his State of the State deal with Tuesday.
“I truly do have a winter coat,” DeSantis advised a building contractors conference in Des Moines on Wednesday. “And I forgot it. I left it at house.”
The temperatures for Iowa have been under freezing and headed to under zero by means of Monday’s caucuses. DeSantis advised the gang that his workers was hustling his coat from Tallahassee earlier than he headed as much as even-chillier northwest Iowa on Thursday.
“I feel I’ll want far more than that,” he stated. “I feel I’m going to want the earmuffs and all that stuff.”