DeSantis is racking up big endorsements in Iowa. But Trump rallygoers are unimpressed.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has assembled an illustrious list of Iowa endorsers, including Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats.
But for the throngs of Iowans filling the stands of a Donald Trump rally in Fort Dodge Nov. 18, such high-profile endorsements make little difference.
Rally attendee Paul Feauto told the Des Moines Register "nobody else stands a chance" against Trump. Feauto, 65, said he "couldn't believe it" when Reynolds endorsed DeSantis over Trump.
"Most of Iowans, I've got to tell you, love Trump," Feauto said. "This is a Trump state, and boy, this is definitely a Trump town."
Even so, DeSantis continues to rack up a growing number of significant endorsements. Beyond Reynolds and Vander Plaats, 41 state legislators, including top-ranking Senate President Amy Sinclair and House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, have thrown their support behind DeSantis.
Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The Family Leader, who endorsed DeSantis Tuesday, says the Florida governor is "tailor-made" for an Iowa caucus victory.
"Endorsements only go so far. … I hope I can influence others, but there's no guarantee on that," Vander Plaats told the Des Moines Register. "But I do believe, with Gov. Reynolds, with my endorsement, and with some of the others that I've talked about — all the legislators and county chairs that he has — I think he's tailor-made to win Iowa."
The Florida governor has also launched coalitions of Iowa faith leaders, sheriffs, anti-abortion activists, Moms for Liberty and agriculture leaders.
"I see the energy. I see the momentum. It's exciting to see," Reynolds told reporters at DeSantis' Urbandale office opening. "Iowa breaks late. There's a lot of time left."
But it's unclear whether support from Reynolds and other political leaders will be enough to sway Iowa caucusgoers in DeSantis' favor come Jan. 15, or if the fervor for the former president is too powerful to overcome.
Alex Conant, a Republican strategist who worked for Marco Rubio’s 2016 presidential campaign and Joni Ernst’s 2014 U.S. Senate campaign, said the disconnect between the candidate favored by political leadership and the candidate loved by the party's base is a "phenomenon not unique to Iowa."
"I think if you look at Trump, he has very few endorsements in the Senate, for example," Conant told the Des Moines Register. "When he was president, he was always more popular with voters than their elected representatives."
What Iowa endorsements does Donald Trump have?
Trump's biggest Iowa endorser so far has been first-term Attorney General Brenna Bird. Bird has been aggressive in using her position to join lawsuits challenging President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration on issues such as its student debt forgiveness plan, vaccine mandates, gun rights and more.
As she endorsed Trump in October, Bird said, "Iowans know (Trump) is the only candidate who can defeat Joe Biden and bring prosperity back to America."
More:Donald Trump nabs high-profile caucus endorsement from Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird
Trump also has a coalition of more than 20 supporters in the state Legislature.
Donald Trump attacks Kim Reynolds, Ron DeSantis as Trump's supporters brush off her endorsement
Trump fired off attacks at his political adversaries at the Fort Dodge rally this month, focusing his ire on those Trump says have been disloyal to him, including DeSantis and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley.
Trump did not mention Reynolds at the rally, but he released a scathing video on social media days later, calling Reynolds the "most unpopular governor in America" and suggesting DeSantis had promised her a role in his administration in exchange for the endorsement.
"Her endorsement of Ron DeSanctimonious, who is 50 points down to me in the polls, has given him exactly zero bounce," Trump said in the video. "He's a wounded bird falling violently from the sky."
Fort Dodge rally attendee Barb Vonsak, 67, of Fort Dodge said she had viewed Reynolds as a potential VP pick for Trump before their falling-out, arguing that Trump "counted on her" and he "kind of helped her a lot" during the pandemic.
She still supports Reynolds, despite Trump's animosity. Vonsak said she'd vote for Reynolds again, calling her a "tough cookie" and praising her response to COVID.
But Vonsak said the need for a "strong leader" and the fact that "career politicians just kind of spook me" make her believe Reynolds' endorsement of DeSantis was a mistake.
Conant, the Republican strategist, speculated that endorsements from Iowa political leaders won't do much to convert Trump supporters.
"Trump has a very strong direct bond with his base," Conant said. "And I don't think there's anything that is going to disabuse people who really like Trump to not vote for him."
Instead, Conant said the endorsements may "embolden" Republicans who are considering a split with the former president to make the jump.
"I think if your strategy is to appeal to voters who like Trump but are open to an alternative, there is hope there. The problem is that a lot of those voters who like Trump and are open to an alternative are still with Trump," he said. "And I think that's (when) an endorsement from a popular governor or a really strong campaign can make a difference.”
Iowa Poll shows locked-in base of Trump voters
An October Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll shows 43% of likely Republican caucusgoers choose Trump as their first choice for president. That puts him 27 points ahead of DeSantis and Haley, who are tied for second place with 16%.
Among Trump supporters, 63% said their minds are made up about caucusing for the former president. Just 37% of likely caucusgoers who chose Trump as their first choice said they could be persuaded to caucus for someone else.
Meanwhile, 70% of DeSantis supporters and 73% of Haley supporters said they could be persuaded to support someone else.
Pollster J. Ann Selzer, president of Selzer & Co., which conducted the Iowa Poll, said Haley and DeSantis are "on ground that you could only describe as shaky," while Trump's support is "solid."
However, Iowa Poll data also shows how popular Reynolds remains among Iowa Republicans.
In an August Iowa Poll, Reynolds performed better than any 2024 presidential candidate among likely Republican caucusgoers: 81% viewed her favorably (including 50% who viewed her very favorably), 18% viewed her unfavorably and 1% were not sure.
Vander Plaats has called for Republicans to rally around one alternative candidate to Trump, winnowing the crowded primary field. With DeSantis' growing list of endorsements, Vander Plaats says DeSantis is becoming that alternative.
"I believe, by lending my voice there, Iowa's showing a coalescing around one candidate," Vander Plaats said. "And I think with 48 days left now … he stands a good chance to win the Iowa caucuses.”
Nationally, some Republican leaders — including former Trump aides — say they're ready to move on
Reynolds is far from the only Republican leader to break with Trump ahead of the 2024 election.
Many Republicans who rallied with Trump, worked for Trump, or defended him during his presidency have endorsed other primary candidates and called on the party to choose a new leader with a less polarizing reputation.
Former Trump Chief of Staff John Kelly told the Washington Post that it was "beyond (his) comprehension" why so many people still support Trump. Kelly was one of 16 former Trump advisers to speak to the Post about their concerns that Trump appears poised to win the GOP nomination.
“Trump evokes very strong emotions in people. You're either really for him or really against him. And I think when he was president and he was the leader of the Republican Party and there was no alternative, people fell in line," Conant said. "But now that we have a competitive primary, I think a lot of Republicans want to go a different direction."
Katie Akin is a politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at kakin@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @katie_akin.
Galen Bacharier covers politics for the Register. Reach him at gbacharier@registermedia.com or (573) 219-7440, and follow him on Twitter @galenbacharier.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.