Ron DeSantis is confident he will win the Iowa caucuses next month after completing the ‘full Grassley’ by visiting all 99 of the Hawkeye State’s counties.
The Florida Governor deflected when asked Sunday morning what he plans to do if he doesn’t perform well in Iowa on January 15 – but DeSantis doesn’t appear to have a contingency plan should that be the case.
‘Well, we’re going to win the caucus. We’re going to win Iowa,’ he told NBC Meet the Press host Kristen Welker when she asked if he would drop out if he doesn’t do well in the first-in-the-nation primary contest.
Iowa will lead all other states in hosting the first 2024 primary contest, followed by New Hampshire’s primary election eight days after on January 23.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is confident he will win the Iowa caucuses on January 15 – and deflected when asked if he plans to drop out if his showing isn’t good in the Hawkeye State
DeSantis has spent much of his time, focus and money in Iowa. He clinched some key nominations in the state from Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats.
An analysis of 2024 candidates’ ad buys shows that DeSantis is the biggest spender.
He spent nearly half of his total $46 million on television, digital and radio ads to persuade Republicans in Iowa to caucus for him.
The 2024 hopeful also completed on Saturday his promise to campaign in all 99 of Iowa’s counties, a feat known as the ‘full Grassley.’
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) congratulated DeSantis ahead of his rally in Jasper, Iowa over the weekend: ‘I compliment any candidate that holds meetings in all 99 counties and completes what’s now called the ‘Full Grassley.’ I have found it is the best way to show Iowans everyone is important to hear from and no one is forgotten.’
Speaking on NBC News the day after visiting the final of 99 counties, DeSantis said he believes he will win in Iowa.
‘I think it’s going to help propel us to the nomination, but I think we’ll have a lot of work that we’ll have to do beyond that,’ he added. ‘I don’t think you’d take anything for granted.’
On Saturday, DeSantis completed his vow to visit all 99 counties in Iowa before the caucuses. Pictured: DeSantis speaks to supporters of his presidential bid in Jasper County, Iowa Saturday
Donald Trump was also in Iowa on Saturday, visiting Ankeny for a commit to caucus event
DeSantis usually places second in Iowa polls, sometimes tying with former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley in distant to frontrunner ex-President Donald Trump who consistently dominates in state-wide and national surveys.
But DeSantis says if Trump wins 2024, he would just make his primary run and potential presidency a ‘referendum on him and a lot of the issues that he’s dealing with.’
‘I’ll be able to stand for a positive vision going forward,’ he contrasted. ‘We have a much better chance if we’re doing it with me as the candidate.’
DeSantis said if he were the GOP nominee, his general election bid would be ‘a referendum on Biden’s failures, on all the issues in the country that are affecting people.’