Bob Vander Plaats, the influential chief of a Christian conservative group in Iowa, tossed his assist behind Ron DeSantis’ 2024 presidential marketing campaign, saying the Florida governor is a “bold and courageous leader” who can win the final election.
Mr. DeSantis additionally not too long ago gained the assist of Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa, giving him a pair of highly effective allies in his bid to beat former President Donald Trump within the first-in-the-nation caucus.
“I am thrilled to throw my personal endorsement and support behind Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida,” Mr. Vander Plaats, head of the Family Leader, stated Wednesday on Fox News. “We need to find someone who can win in 2024.”
Mr. Vander Plaats stated Mr. DeSantis deserves credit score for main the GOP to historic wins in Florida and stated he has the prospect to do the identical factor if he wins the Iowa caucuses.
“Iowa is ground zero,” Mr. Vander Plaats stated. “If you upend the former president here, I think we are going offer America a choice between President Trump and say a Gov. Ron DeSantis.”
“If President Trump wins Iowa here I think it is going to be awfully hard to make the case that you can beat President Trump and he is going to be your eventual nominee,” he stated.
The Trump marketing campaign launched a preemptive strike, saying that 150 religion leaders within the state had thrown their assist behind his marketing campaign and accusing Mr. Vander Plaats of demanding near $100,000 for his assist.
“Kim Reynolds’ endorsement won’t save Ron DeSanctus, and neither will Vander Plaat$’ endorsement,” the Trump marketing campaign stated in a press release.
Mr. Vander Plaats rejected the accusation, saying his endorsement “has never been for sale.”
“I think you’d want to go to an experienced leader who has accomplished results versus somebody that I truly believe may be able to win the nomination, in President Trump, but I don’t think America is going to elect him president again,” he stated. “What we need to do is find that next-generation leader.”
Iowa might make or break Mr. DeSantis’s presidential aspirations.
He has visited 98 of the state’s 99 counties, placing him a step away from finishing the “Full Grassley,” which is called after the state’s veteran Sen. Charles Grassley, who made a behavior of visiting all of the state’s counties.
Still, Mr. DeSantis has his work reduce out for him as he appears to be like to show to voters he’s the occasion’s finest wager to knock off President Biden.
Mr. Trump has a 30-point lead over Mr. DeSantis, in response to the Real Clear Politics Average of polls.
Mr. Vander Plaats has a observe document of supporting the eventual winner of the Iowa caucuses, which can kick off the nomination battle on Jan. 15.
But those self same candidates — former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, former Sen, Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas — didn’t go on to win the nomination.
