Trump taunts DeSantis at Iowa State Fair.

Donald Trump to Attend Iowa State Fair with Entourage of Florida Republicans

Donald Trump ⁢is set to attend⁢ the Iowa State Fair on Saturday with an ‌entourage of guests seemingly meant to get under the skin of the former president’s top rival in the GOP presidential⁣ primary: the nine Florida Republicans who snubbed Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) by endorsing Trump for president.

The lawmakers who will accompany Trump are Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Byron Donalds (R-FL), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Brian Mast ‌(R-FL),⁢ Cory Mills​ (R-FL), Anna Paulina Luna​ (R-FL), Greg Steube (R-FL), and⁤ Mike Waltz (R-FL), the Des Moines Register reported. ⁢The move could take media attention away from DeSantis’s own messaging while he ⁢attends the state fair.

Up for Debate: Trump, DeSantis, and 2024 GOP Hopefuls’ Stance on the Justice⁤ Department

The entourage is‍ the latest sign of Trump needling⁢ DeSantis on the campaign trail this‌ week. In an interview with Newsmax on‍ Wednesday, Trump referred⁢ to DeSantis as a “failed candidate.”

“He has got‍ no personality and nothing going,” Trump added. “He’s dropped like a ‌rock. I don’t even think ‍he’s going to be No. 2 for⁤ long,”⁤ he added.

Trump ‌remains the leading candidate in the ‍Republican ⁤2024 nominating race, according to polling nationally and⁢ in Iowa. A New ⁢York Times/Siena College survey showed Trump at 44% support ‍among Iowa Republicans, while DeSantis is at 20%⁢ support, a 24-point gap. All other rivals poll in ​the single digits. On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly brags ⁤about ⁣his poll⁤ numbers ⁤and his sizable polling advantage‍ over DeSantis.

Along with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, the former president is one of two 2024 candidates who won’t participate​ in Gov. Kim Reynolds’s (R-IA) “fair-side chat” series on Saturday. Trump‌ has openly disparaged ‍Reynolds⁢ for her commitment to remaining neutral in⁣ the primary race and her reported friendliness with DeSantis. Trump also⁢ skipped the Family Leader’s ⁣annual‌ summit and Sen. Joni Ernst’s (R-IA)‍ “Roast and Ride”‍ event this year as he runs for president a third time.

The DeSantis campaign hit back against the Trump needling with a pithy reply: “Rent free.”

Click here to​ read more from The Washington Examiner

Iowa’s caucuses in January start the primary voting season and will‌ be a ⁣crucial victory that DeSantis needs in order to build⁤ momentum in his quest to win the GOP nomination. His campaign has already suggested the governor will visit all 99 counties in Iowa.

This week, the DeSantis campaign faced its third campaign shake-up ‌with the announcement of James Uthmeier, the governor’s chief⁤ of ‍staff, ‍replacing ‌Generra Peck as campaign manager.

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases