Donald Trump’s trademark air of confidence has been accompanied by an unusual sense of apprehension in the closing stretch of the 2024 Iowa contest – as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley work to deny the former president the kind definitive win that would all but cement his third consecutive Republican presidential nomination.
As Trump campaigned in Iowa over the weekend, he warned his supporters against feeling their votes are not needed, given his commanding lead in the race.
“Forget polls that show we’re 35 points up,” Trump told supporters at a weekend rally in Mason City. “Pretend we’re one point down.”
Iowa’s opening role in the presidential nominating contest has long been to narrow the field, as much as to choose the ultimate nominee. The stakes are high for DeSantis and Haley, who are making their final pushes in Iowa this week – including at a CNN debate Trump is skipping – to deliver strong enough finishes to extend the Republican primary race beyond January 15, while Trump tries to effectively end the nominating contest on its opening night.
An overwhelming victory could all but launch the former president on an unstoppable march to the nomination. But a far less impressive win – or even a surprising defeat – could open the door to a far longer nominating fight, raising questions about Trump’s electability.
“I think his only danger is that people think that he might not need their vote and that’s not true,” Brenna Bird, Iowa’s attorney general and one of Trump’s top supporters, said in an interview. “The caucuses are all about the ground game. The only thing that matters is who shows up and votes on caucus night.”
The outcome of the Iowa caucuses will help set the tone – and the duration – of the race going forward. A furious scramble is underway…
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