In the face of a less than stellar performance in the final Iowa poll before Monday’s caucuses, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reaffirmed his commitment to the presidential race. Speaking to CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union”, DeSantis expressed his confidence in the support he has garnered and his readiness to face the long journey ahead.
“We have a substantial number of committed caucus-goers, and we anticipate their active participation,” DeSantis said. “We are in this for the long haul. We understand the necessity of securing a majority of the delegates. It’s a lengthy process, but we are confident of our success because we’ve taken the right approach.”
DeSantis’s comments came in the wake of a Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom poll that showed former President Donald Trump leading the Republican presidential contenders among likely GOP caucus-goers in Iowa. The poll indicated that 48% of likely caucus-goers would choose Trump as their first choice, followed by former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley with 20%, and DeSantis with 16%. The remaining candidates all polled below 10%.
Despite these figures, DeSantis asserted that while many voters appreciate Trump’s accomplishments, they also recognize potential drawbacks of nominating him in 2024. He suggested that the results of Monday’s caucuses would provide valuable insights.
Adding to the complexity of this year’s nominating contest is the severe winter weather that Iowans will face on caucus day. Although some of DeSantis’s events were postponed due to the weather, the Florida governor continued with several others, including a gathering in the snow outside his Urbandale, Iowa, headquarters.
“We certainly want people to stay safe, but we are prepared to assist those who need help. We’ve already arranged transportation for many individuals. This is a matter of importance,” DeSantis stated.
Following the Iowa caucuses, DeSantis is set to attend an event in South Carolina before heading to New Hampshire for another event and a CNN town hall.