Could Trump’s Snub Cost Him Iowa? Evangelical Leader Sounds Warning Bells
The Race for the Republican Presidential Nomination in Iowa: Will Trump’s Snub Cost Him?
The race for the Republican presidential nomination is heating up as the crucial first-caucus state of Iowa approaches. Former President Donald Trump currently holds a commanding lead in the Hawkeye State, with around 48 percent support in recent polls.
However, Trump’s decision to snub the presidential forum held by The Family Leader has raised concerns among influential conservative leaders. The evangelical Christian vote is a major factor in Iowa, and Trump’s absence from the forum could make him vulnerable. Some leaders warn that his support could dip below 35 percent by caucus day.
While Trump’s standing remains high among Christian conservatives, skipping such an event risks taking their support for granted. Rivals like Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy saw an opportunity to appeal to ”values voters” by attending the forum, despite initial warnings from the Republican National Committee.
Three Republican presidential candidates gathered Friday at a proverbial Thanksgiving dinner in Iowa for a “family discussion” on issues important to Iowa evangelicals like faith, Israel, agriculture, abortion, and energy. https://t.co/ndJofix63b
— KWWL (@KWWL) November 19, 2023
DeSantis made it clear that he understood the importance of this voting bloc by attending the forum. He expressed his commitment to be there “no matter what happens.” Meanwhile, Bob Vander Plaats, CEO of The Family Leader, has ties to multiple candidates but appears likely to back DeSantis.
It seems Trump has officially lost Vander Plaats. https://t.co/TL8hmWyFcu
— Independent Fact Checker SiggmaK (@Siggmak) August 11, 2023
Vander Plaats’ endorsement carries weight with social conservatives, but Trump allies downplay its importance. Pollster Tony Fabrizio, who works with the Trump-affiliated super PAC Make America Great Again Inc., said it would have “no significant impact.”
DeSantis received another boost this month from the endorsement of popular Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds. Meanwhile, Haley won the surprise backing of prominent anti-abortion activist Marlys Popma during a recent Iowa campaign stop.
Trump is still the prohibitive favorite, but declining this invitation may have been a rare error by a campaign that cannot afford to give any ground, even with a group firmly in their corner already. Doubts among evangelicals, however small, could provide just enough of an opening for a rival. The Trump camp may wish it had sealed the deal by attending the forum.
The post Could Trump’s Snub Cost Him Iowa? Evangelical Leader Sounds Warning Bells appeared first on The Western Journal.
Will Trump’s strong support among Christian conservatives outweigh any negative consequences of his absence from the forum in Iowa
Class=”poll-result firefly-poll-result“>
Yes: 45%
No: 55%
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