Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley took part in CNN town halls in Iowa on Thursday, ahead of the state’s caucuses. Both candidates are positioning themselves as alternatives to former President Donald Trump and fielded questions from potential GOP caucus-goers and moderators Kaitlan Collins and Erin Burnett at Grand View University in Des Moines. Several of their claims warrant fact-checking.
DeSantis on Florida’s Economy
DeSantis praised Florida’s economic performance, stating that Florida’s economy is ranked first among the 50 states by CNBC and that income growth is leading the charts. While CNBC did indeed rank Florida’s economy as the top in the nation in a July article, DeSantis’ claim about income growth is not entirely accurate. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, personal income in Florida grew by 3.5% between the second and third quarters of 2023, placing it 21st among states. Texas led the pack with a growth rate of 5.2%. — From CNN’s Tami Luhby and Daniel Dale
DeSantis on the Pandemic
DeSantis criticized former President Donald Trump and Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, for their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. He claimed that they had imposed a national lockdown and that Florida led the way in lifting the country out of lockdown. This claim is misleading. While DeSantis did eventually advocate for lifting restrictions, he initially imposed significant restrictions in Florida in March and April 2020. — From CNN’s Daniel Dale
DeSantis on Family Farms and Federal Estate Taxes
DeSantis argued that family farms are crucial to national security and should be able to be passed down through generations without being subject to the “death tax”. However, according to the US Department of Agriculture, only 0.22% of farmers’ estates – about 87 estates – would owe federal estate taxes in 2022. — From CNN’s Tami Luhby
Haley’s Claims about Biden Administration and Texas Razor Wire
Haley claimed that the Biden administration is attempting to undermine the governor of Texas by removing razor wire along the US-Mexico border. This claim requires context. While the Biden administration has expressed a desire to allow the US Border Patrol to remove razor wire at the border, it has stated that this is done to provide medical assistance to migrants or apprehend those who have already crossed into US territory. —From CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz
Haley on the National Debt
Haley expressed concern about the growing national debt and interest payments, predicting that in a few years, interest payments will exceed the defense budget. This projection is accurate according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a government watchdog group. —From CNN’s Tami Luhby