Amid the clamor of a bustling sports bar in central Iowa, the term “dumpster fire” echoed from the television screens during the Citrus Bowl. The criticism, however, was not aimed at the underwhelming performance of the Iowa Hawkeyes, but at a political advertisement targeting the presidential campaign of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
DeSantis, who later entered the bar, was determined to convince Iowans that the derogatory description was far from accurate. “We’re going to get it done,” he confidently assured a patron after a sip of Guinness.
As the Iowa caucuses draw near, the airwaves are saturated with ads from supporters of former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley attacking DeSantis, and vice versa. This fierce rivalry between the two candidates is a clear indication of the escalating tension as the race intensifies.
Interestingly, the front-runner, Donald Trump, has remained largely unscathed in the ad wars this presidential cycle. Despite the millions being spent to influence Republican voters, the former president is rarely the subject of these advertisements, nor is he the primary focus of his competitors on the campaign trail.
As the Republican presidential contenders prepare their final pitches to Iowans, there are few signs that these dynamics will shift before the January 15 caucuses. The success of Trump’s challengers in 2024 now hinges on their ability to quickly push the others out of the picture, having failed to emerge as the clear alternative to Trump in 2023.
Trump has increased his appearances in the early nominating states, holding four events in Iowa in a month towards the end of the year. His large presence as a former president, coupled with his ongoing legal troubles, has overshadowed his latest presidential campaign. A strong performance in the first nominating contest could set the stage for a swift victory by Trump. However, even the most optimistic projections show Republicans remain divided over whether he should represent the party going forward.
Both DeSantis and Haley, along with entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, have defended Trump after Maine’s Democratic secretary of state removed him from the ballot there last week. They have also made clear that they would pardon Trump – who faces four criminal indictments – if elected to the White House.
DeSantis, in a new campaign ad launched Tuesday morning, echoed many of his key talking points without attacking the frontrunner. The ad’s narrator states over dark and violent imagery, “They’ve corrupted our institutions, indoctrinated our kids, opened our border, weaponized government against us, and destroyed the American dream. Ron DeSantis is the only candidate who’s defeated them.”
DeSantis and Haley will appear Thursday in back-to-back town halls hosted by CNN and will debate one more time before Iowa Republicans head to their caucuses. Trump, for the fifth time, will avoid the debate stage, content to let his rivals slug it out. The former president will hold two rallies in the state Saturday.
The rest of the article continues to delve into the political dynamics, campaign strategies, and the challenges faced by the candidates as they approach the Iowa caucuses.
This story has been updated with additional details. CNN’s Veronica Stracqualursi contributed to this report.