‘Right Where We Want Him, 30 Points Up’: Chasing Trump in Iowa

The Run-Up

The New York Times

News Commentary, Politics, News

4.4 • 2K Ratings

🗓️ 11 January 2024

⏱️ 44 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

At the start of the 2024 Republican primary campaign, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida was considered by many in his party to be the biggest threat to Donald Trump. He was seen as someone who could win over the voters who were tired of Trump’s antics, and also bring along the MAGA movement. But it didn’t work out that way. And as Mr. DeSantis has struggled, one main opponent, former Gov. Nikki Haley of South Carolina, has seen her star — and her standing in the polls — rise. Still, as the Trump alternatives crisscross Iowa and New Hampshire trying to appeal to voters, polling averages put the former president ahead by an average of 35 points. Now, with just days to go until the Iowa caucuses, we ask: Did anti-Trump Republicans rally around the wrong candidates? And have they run out of time to fix it?

Transcript

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0:00.0	We're now just four days from the Iowa Caucasus, where polling averages show Donald
0:06.5	Trump ahead by nearly 35 points, and it seems like an important moment to remember something.
0:13.5	At this time last year, many National Republicans did not expect to be in this situation.
0:19.8	They thought they had a plan.
0:21.7	And not just a plan, a person to make it happen.
0:24.6	Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was supposed to be the perfect Trump alternative
0:29.9	someone who could win the voters tired of Trump's antics and also bring along the movement Trump activated.
0:37.0	The idea was to learn from the mistakes of 2016 and coalesce around him quickly. The problem is, none of it worked. And there was one
0:47.8	event that made clear the challenges for DeSantis, the Lincoln Dinner, a high-profile event in Iowa where DeSantis spoke last summer, along
0:57.1	with most of the other GOP candidates, including Trump.
1:01.1	My colleague Caitlin O'Keefe was there and asked people in attendance what they thought about desanthus's candidacy.
1:07.0	My feeling is is desanthus's personality with Iowa's type of politicking is maybe a little bit of a challenge.
1:17.0	Now, not that he doesn't have a good one, but he's just not that, I don't know, maybe he seems a little
1:21.8	bit of a reserve. Maybe that's the right way.
1:23.0	The answer is then.
1:25.0	Help explain where we are now.
1:27.0	I personally just don't think you should run against Trump right now.
1:31.0	I think if anything they should join forces. Some Republicans like
1:35.4	DeSantis and held out hope for a comeback after his campaign recalibrated.
1:40.9	He's making adjustments like any business person would do if they've
1:46.2	got some dead wood you get rid of it. I think there are those in the news media trying
1:50.8	to find things to tear down or shoot his candidacy. But you've got
	...

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