Bob Vander Plaats, President and CEO of The FAMiLY Leader, announced Tuesday evening that he is endorsing Florida Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/ron-desantis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ron DeSantis</a> for president.
Vander Plaats — whose endorsements have won the state in 2008, 2012, and 2016 — made the remarks during an interview with Fox News&#8217; Bret Baier on &#8220;Special Report.&#8221;
&#8220;I&#8217;m thrilled to throw my personal endorsement and support behind Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida,&#8221; Vander Plaats said. &#8220;We need to find somebody who can win in 2024 and what we saw in 2022, the supposedly &#8216;red wave&#8217; really only happened in Florida and in Iowa.&#8221;
&#8220;Governor DeSantis took a reliable toss-up state in Florida and made it complete red, won by 20 points, won in demographics that we haven&#8217;t won in,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;But he&#8217;s also done that by being a bold and courageous leader. So right away, it was kind of his endorsement to lose.&#8221;
Vander Plaats said that the DeSantis family goes to church with him in Iowa and visits people in their homes and offices.
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&#8220;But at last Friday&#8217;s Thanksgiving Family Forum, he closed the sale on me; he was very clear about we need a president who can serve two terms, not one term,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We don&#8217;t need a president [who&#8217;s] gonna be a lame duck on day one, you need a president [who&#8217;s] going to surround themselves with the best and brightest people versus having a hard time attracting them again. And someone [who] is actually going to do what they say they&#8217;re going to do.&#8221;
Vander Plaats said that DeSantis &#8220;has the spine&#8221; for the job and has the experienced track record it takes to win.
He shot down accusations from the Trump campaign that DeSantis bought Vander Plaats&#8217; endorsement, saying, &#8220;President Trump knows better than anybody that my endorsement has never been and never will be for sale.&#8221;
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&#8220;So it has nothing to do with any any type of money that is being paid or anything like that,&#8221; he said. &#8220;I know that&#8217;s what they want to claim, but that is not the case. What we&#8217;re trying to do is we believe 2024 is the most important election of our lifetime. We believe we need to choose and choose well.&#8221;
He added that he believes the GOP primary remains a one-on-one race between Trump and DeSantis and that other candidates needed to drop out so it&#8217;s just those two remaining.
Vander Plaats&#8217; endorsement comes a couple of weeks after Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/an-enormous-win-popular-iowa-governor-kim-reynolds-to-endorse-ron-desantis-for-president-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">endorsed</a> DeSantis for president — the first time a governor in the state has made an endorsement in the primaries in over three decades.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
We need to find somebody who can win in 2024, and that&#39;s why I&#39;m endorsing <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RonDeSantis</a>. <a href="https://t.co/lV7Zjye3qw">pic.twitter.com/lV7Zjye3qw</a>
&mdash; Bob Vander Plaats (@bobvanderplaats) <a href="https://twitter.com/bobvanderplaats/status/1727125747117199393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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US-POLITICS-VOTE-REPUBLICAN-DEBATE

Influential Evangelical Leader In Iowa Endorses DeSantis For President

Bob Vander Plaats

Elections

Iowa

Politics

Ron DeSantis

Former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> criticized Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds in a video that his campaign posted on Tuesday for endorsing one of his opponents, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Trump made the remarks after Reynolds said in an NBC News interview earlier this month that the last time she spoke with the former president was when &#8220;he called to ask if I would endorse him, and I said I wasn’t [going to endorse him].&#8221;
&#8220;Kim Reynolds of Iowa has gone from a popular governor to the most unpopular governor in the entire United States of America,&#8221; Trump said. &#8220;Not an easy feat. Her endorsement of Ron DeSanctimonious, who is 50 points down to me in the polls, has given him exactly zero bounce. He&#8217;s a wounded bird falling violently from the sky.&#8221;
&#8220;I wonder what position Kim was promised in order to back someone who is so far down in the polls,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;I got Iowa, first in the nation, ethanol security, and $28 billion for our great farmers in Iowa and Nebraska and Wisconsin, and many other farming areas of our country. $28 billion for the farmers. I also protected Social Security and Medicare; DeSanctimonious and Nikki Haley did absolutely nothing. Make America Great Again.&#8221;
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WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Kim Reynolds is the most Unpopular Governor in America… <a href="https://t.co/lmhwCJusEs">pic.twitter.com/lmhwCJusEs</a>
&mdash; Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamTrump/status/1727031584690434424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott endorsed Trump this week for a second term as president during a campaign event in Edinburg, a city about 30 miles away from the Mexico border.
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&#8220;We need Donald J. Trump back as our President of the United States of America,&#8221; Abbott said. &#8220;I’m here to officially proclaim my endorsement for Donald J. Trump to be President of the United States of America again!&#8221;
Trump said that it was a “tremendous honor” to get Abbott’s endorsement while speaking to an audience of a few hundred supporters.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/arkansas-governor-sarah-huckabee-sanders-to-endorse-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders To Endorse Trump</a>

Trump

Trump Unleashes On Kim Reynolds: ‘The Most Unpopular Governor In The Entire United States’

Trump Unleashes On Kim Reynolds: 'The Most Unpopular Governor In The Entire United States'

2024 Election

Donald Trump

Kim Reynolds

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-hampshire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New Hampshire</a> has chosen to defy the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/democratic-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Democratic Party</a> and stick with holding the first-in-the-nation primary.
At <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-Qb3uJQiBI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a press conference</a> in the Hall of Flags of the State House, David Scanlan, New Hampshire&#8217;s Secretary of State, <a href="https://twitter.com/Kjwalsh_news/status/1724867571206275449" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> on Wednesday that his state will hold its 2024 primary on Tuesday, January 23.
&#8220;We haven’t changed a thing,&#8221; declared Governor Chris Sununu (R-NH), who joined Scanlon and other officials at the event, adding later that, &#8220;In all the craziness of this day and age, consistency and integrity&#8221; in the election process is what people want.
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BREAKING: The New Hampshire first-in-the-nation primary will be on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. <a href="https://t.co/wEshMQEREk">pic.twitter.com/wEshMQEREk</a>
&mdash; Kelsey Walsh (@Kjwalsh_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kjwalsh_news/status/1724867571206275449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/democratic-national-committee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Democratic National Committee</a> (DNC) chose to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/democrats-vote-to-make-south-carolina-first-presidential-primary-state-move-up-georgia-michigan-and-bump-new-hampshire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shake up</a> its primary schedule by selecting South Carolina as the first presidential nominating state for the 2024 cycle on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dnc-ditches-iowa-chooses-south-carolina-as-first-presidential-primary-state-to-prioritize-black-voters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">February 3</a>, prompting a scheduling clash with Iowa and New Hampshire. Republicans <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rnc-makes-no-changes-to-their-2024-presidential-nominating-calendar-a-day-after-dnc-upends-their-schedule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">elected</a> to keep their calendar the same.
Iowa decided to work with the DNC on a plan to hold an in-person caucus to deal with <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/iowa-democrats-move-caucus-results-super-tuesday-rcna119222" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;party business&#8221;</a> and <a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-democrats-caucus-results-new-calendar-primary-3f78ded207c434b320bce5a3341a7065" target="_blank" rel="noopener">down-ballot</a> races on January 15 — in step with the GOP holding its caucuses on that date — while conducting a mail-in presidential caucus <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/06/iowa-democrats-super-tuesday-00120337" target="_blank" rel="noopener">until Super Tuesday</a> in early March.
New Hampshire refused to mess with the state law, which has helped preserve the decades-long tradition of it holding the first presidential primary, despite the DNC&#8217;s threat to levy sanctions that would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/democratic-national-committee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strip the power</a> of New Hampshire&#8217;s delegates at next year&#8217;s national convention in Chicago.
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The effort by the DNC to make South Carolina the first presidential nominating state comes as part of a push for more diversity atop the early voting process. South Carolina also happens to be the state where Biden started to gain momentum in the 2020 primary contest with a victory after he got fourth place in the Iowa caucuses and fifth place in New Hampshire.
Though Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/democratic-national-committee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opted</a> not to appear on the primary ballot in New Hampshire because of the brewing standoff over the order of election contests, there has been an effort to get voters to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/11/01/1209838428/new-hampshire-primary-democrats-write-in-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">write in</a> the incumbent&#8217;s name. Biden has a couple primary challengers, including Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN) and self-help author Marianne Williamson, but has dominated primary polls.

Governor Chris Sununu

New Hampshire Spurns DNC, Refuses To Give Up First-In-The-Nation Primary

2024 Primaries

Chris Sununu

Joe Biden

New Hampshire

South Carolina

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds is <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-endorse-ron-desantis-president-rcna123595">reportedly</a> set to endorse Florida Governor Ron DeSantis this week to be the next president of the United States.
Reynolds — who is the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lashes-out-at-iowa-governor-kim-reynolds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most powerful and influential</a> Republican in Iowa — initially said that she was not planning on making an endorsement before the Iowa caucuses, but has changed her mind in recent months as the political operation backing DeSantis has poured enormous resources into winning the state.
In August, Reynolds <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/reynolds-voters-not-giving-trump-a-pass-for-skipping-events-need-fewer-candidates-could-endorse">told</a> Fox News host Shannon Bream that voters in Iowa were not going to give former President Donald Trump, who is also running, a pass for skipping major caucus events in the state. Bream said that Reynolds&#8217; endorsement in the state is viewed as a &#8220;game changer&#8221; among the Republican presidential candidates.
NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-endorse-ron-desantis-president-rcna123595">said</a> that the endorsement from Reynolds — who is viewed as more favorable by Republicans in the state than any of the Republican presidential candidates — was a &#8220;major boost&#8221; for the DeSantis campaign, while the Des Moines Register <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2023/11/05/iowa-gov-kim-reynolds-to-endorse-ron-desantis-president-monday-rally-des-moines-caucuses-2024-trump/71438016007/">said</a> it was &#8220;an enormous win.&#8221;
&#8220;Reynolds plans to speak at DeSantis’ predebate rally Monday as well as a Davenport meet-and-greet Tuesday morning,&#8221; the Des Moines Register reported. &#8220;She will then fly to Miami to help him fundraise around Wednesday’s debate.&#8221;
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DeSantis has already campaigned in 87 of Iowa&#8217;s 99 counties and <a href="https://floridapolitics.com/archives/639583-ron-desantis-touts-iowa-caucus-commitments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">says</a> he is further ahead right now with securing commitments from people who are going to caucus for him than the last few Republicans who won the state&#8217;s presidential primary were at this same point.
Her endorsement comes as Trump faces mounting legal troubles in multiple criminal cases against him, including three former attorneys who have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ex-trump-attorney-jenna-ellis-pleads-guilty-in-election-interference-case-in-georgia">flipped</a> against him in one case alone.
While speaking to reporters late last month, DeSantis said that Reynolds&#8217; endorsement would be a &#8220;huge get&#8221; for his campaign.
“I think what she’s been able to do in Iowa has really been a model for how people should govern,” DeSantis said. “Clearly, I think she could have a really significant impact. And I think any candidate running would be a fool not to want to have the support of Reynolds.”
DeSantis has courted Reynolds for months and has defended her from <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-lashes-out-at-iowa-governor-kim-reynolds">attacks</a> from Trump, who has accused Reynolds of being insufficiently loyal.

Former President Trump Holds Rally With Iowa Candidates In Sioux City

‘An Enormous Win’: Popular Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds To Endorse Ron DeSantis For President: Report

As former President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-bidens-foreign-policy-says-his-weakness-provokes-war-and-death" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> continues to dominate national and state <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/latest-presidential-polls-does-an-rfk-jr-independent-run-hurt-trump-or-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polls</a> in the GOP primary, trailing Republican candidates are placing their time, energy, and money on the Iowa caucuses. 
Candidate and Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/tim-scott-says-iowa-or-bust-for-his-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> last week that for his campaign, “it’s Iowa or bust,” while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has moved a large portion of his campaign staff to the Hawkeye State in an attempt to gain some early momentum and keep his struggling presidential bid alive. Meanwhile, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is gaining ground in Iowa as the caucuses approach. 
But according to the latest polls, Iowa voters still heavily favor Trump as their first-choice candidate as the calendar inches closer to the January 15 caucuses. 
According to an <a href="https://iastate.app.box.com/s/3ri8thp3v7jqgyww09iyqw6ombkuh8cp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iowa St./Civiqs survey</a> of 425 likely caucusgoers taken between October 6-10, Trump was the first choice among 55% of them, while DeSantis was at 17%, Haley was at 11%, tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy was at 5%, and Scott sat at 4%. For caucusgoers’ second choice, DeSantis led with 22%, above Haley (18%), Ramaswamy (16%), Scott (13%), and Trump (8%). 
Trump’s lead in Iowa wasn’t as large, according to the most recent <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/caucus/2023/10/30/iowa-poll-donald-trump-leads-ron-desantis-nikki-haley-tied-presidential-candidates-gop-caucus/71342485007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> conducted by the Des Moines Register and NBC News. That survey, conducted between October 22-26, found that 43% of caucusgoers picked the former president as their first choice while DeSantis and Haley tied at 16% in what the pollsters said was a big win for Haley, the former U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Haley’s good showing in the poll was bolstered by independents, 22% of whom picked her as their first choice compared to 12% who chose DeSantis. Trump leads among independents with 33% marking him as their first choice. 
DeSantis was the leading candidate for second choice, according to the poll, as 27% of likely caucusgoers said the Florida governor is their second pick compared to 17% who marked Haley as their number two choice. 
There was more good news for Trump in the Des Moines Register/NBC News poll, which found that nearly two-thirds of the Republican caucusgoers who picked Trump said their minds were made up to vote for him as their first-choice candidate. Only 30% of DeSantis voters and 26% of Haley voters said their minds were made up, while 70% of DeSantis voters and 74% of Haley supporters said they could still be persuaded to vote for someone else as their first choice candidate.  
While the poll on its surface didn’t look great for the DeSantis campaign, there was a bright spot for the Florida governor. According to the survey, DeSantis has the same &#8220;footprint of support in Iowa&#8221; as Trump. The Des Moines Register wrote, “Likely Republican caucusgoers were asked their first choice for president, their second choice and which of the other Republican candidates they were actively considering. The total represents a candidate’s full footprint of support in Iowa, where likely caucusgoers often weigh several candidates before zeroing in on their Caucus Day choice.” 
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Both Trump and DeSantis had a footprint of 67%, Haley sat at 54%, Scott was at 49%, and Ramaswamy was at 32%. But with 63% of Trump’s voters saying their minds are made up to go with the former president, trailing candidates have a lot of ground to make up even to make the Iowa race competitive come January 15. 
The Real Clear Politics <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/ia/2024_iowa_republican_presidential_caucus-8164.html">average</a> of Iowa polls shows Trump (48.8%) leading DeSantis (17.3%) by 31.5 percentage points. Haley (11.5%) sits in third place in the state over Scott (6.0%), and Ramaswamy (5.3%).

Ron DeSantis/Donald Trump/Nikki Haley

Latest Presidential Polls: All Eyes On Iowa

Iowa Caucuses

Nikki Haley

Polls

Republican Primary

Sen. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/tim-scott" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tim Scott</a> (R-SC) said on Monday his presidential campaign is employing an &#8220;Iowa or bust&#8221; strategy.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/2024-election" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2024</a> candidate reacted to a new poll showing him in fourth place at <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/caucus/2023/10/30/iowa-poll-donald-trump-leads-ron-desantis-nikki-haley-tied-presidential-candidates-gop-caucus/71342485007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7% support</a> among likely Iowa caucusgoers, down from 9%, in a large but <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mike-pence-suspends-2024-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shrinking field</a> of competitors.
&#8220;It’s one of the reasons why we’re heading to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/iowa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iowa</a> and staying there consistently, because we realize that historically speaking, Iowa voters, they break late in the cycle, and that’s great news, having an opportunity for us to continue to share our message,&#8221; Scott <a href="https://hughhewitt.com/senator-tim-scott-on-the-new-des-moines-register-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt</a>.
&#8220;And to do it full-time in Iowa will be very helpful,&#8221; Scott added. He then alluded to GOP presidential candidates in past election cycles who peaked atop Iowa polling weeks before losing in the state&#8217;s caucuses.
&#8220;We have to remember historically, 2011, 2015, it was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/oct/30/herman-cain-ahead-iowa-republican-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Herman Cain</a> and <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/caucus/2015/10/23/ben-carson-charges-9-points-ahead-of-donald-trump-iowa-poll-gop/74278414/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ben Carson</a> were leading in the Des Moines Register polls,&#8221; Scott said. &#8220;So we are excited about where we are. We have made the decision that it’s Iowa or bust for us, and I’m looking forward to being there.&#8221;
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Hewitt asked Scott whether he would exit the race if the senator does not finish in first or second place in either Iowa or New Hampshire — another early-voting state.
&#8220;You know, Hugh, I’m not going to make any predictions other than that we will be in the top two in Iowa without any question,&#8221; Scott replied.
Less than two and a half months until Caucus Day in mid-January, Scott is hovering <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-primary-r/2024/national/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">around 2%</a> in national polls. In the new Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll, Scott trailed three candidates. The survey showed 43% of likely 2024 GOP caucusgoers <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-poll/caucus/2023/10/30/iowa-poll-donald-trump-leads-ron-desantis-nikki-haley-tied-presidential-candidates-gop-caucus/71342485007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">picked</a> former President Donald Trump as their first choice for president, followed by 16% for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and 16% for former United Nations Ambassador and South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
The Trust in the Mission PAC, the political action committee backing Scott&#8217;s campaign, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/16/politics/tim-scott-super-pac-cancels-tv-ads/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> roughly two weeks ago that it was canceling a fall slate of TV ad reservations. In a <a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24035483/file_3997.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memo to donors</a>, co-chairman Rob Collins argued Scott was the &#8220;best fit for the Iowa electorate&#8221; and said the PAC would &#8220;pivot&#8221; away from heavy TV spending in favor of &#8220;direct-engagement&#8221; events as well as expanding its field program in the state. A week later, Scott&#8217;s campaign said the senator was going <a href="https://ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/ap-top-news/2023/10/24/republican-tim-scott-shifts-presidential-campaign-staff-from-new-hampshire-to-go-all-in-on-iowa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">&#8220;all in&#8221; on Iowa</a>, shifting money and staff from New Hampshire to Iowa.

Sen. Tim Scott

Tim Scott Says ‘Iowa Or Bust’ For His Presidential Campaign

Tim Scott Says 'Iowa Or Bust' For His Presidential Campaign

Tim Scott

Retired neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson endorsed former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign during an Iowa rally on Sunday. 
Carson, who ran for the Republican Party&#8217;s presidential nomination in 2016 and subsequently served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for nearly four years in the Trump administration, <a href="https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/4282613-ben-carson-endorses-trump-2024-at-iowa-rally/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gave</a> the GOP frontrunner his “most confident and full endorsement” while introducing him at a campaign rally in Sioux City, Iowa. 
“Benjamin Franklin was asked in 1787 after they finished the Constitutional Convention, ‘Sir, what do we have here? A monarchy or a republic?’ He said, ‘A republic, if you can keep it.’ The way we can keep it is we can put Donald J. Trump back in office,” Carson <a href="https://www.rsbnetwork.com/news/dr-ben-carson-strongly-endorses-donald-trump-for-president/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the crowd.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🚨 Dr. Ben Carson endorses Donald Trump for President in 2024
 <a href="https://t.co/5EENOrAmve">pic.twitter.com/5EENOrAmve</a>
&mdash; Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1718724286842651031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The former GOP candidate <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcOiWYEnjVA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blasted</a> the Biden administration’s border policies and told the crowd that under Trump, the United States had a secure border. Carson said it’s almost certain that terrorists have flowed through the border during Biden’s three years in office, quipping it would be “terrorist malpractice” if they weren’t already planning something. 
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He also touted Trump’s record on energy, the protection of freedom of speech, and the lower prices of consumer goods and gasoline during his administration. Carson said that during his 2016 campaign, he found that while most Americans had “common sense,” they didn’t always have the “courage” to say what they believed. 
“But one man had the courage to take on the political establishment and give the people a voice in Washington, with no concern about what it would cost him,” Carson said. “Donald Trump lost millions if not billions of dollars. And he’s been attacked constantly and demonized, and yet, he’s still there. They haven’t gotten rid of him. They’re trying to do everything in their power to get rid of him. Because he’s the biggest threat to the administrative state and to the swamp &#8212; I don&#8217;t call it a swamp, I call it a cesspool.”
On Truth Social, Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/111321131874065711" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> it was a “great honor” to receive Carson’s endorsement. The former president told the crowd he was confident that he would win Iowa because of his policies that he said helped farmers, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-republicans-caucuses-campaign-2024-89b7fee7f2cc8a2a14ac211e74e74ff7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. 
According to RealClearPolitics, Trump’s <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/ia/2024_iowa_republican_presidential_caucus-8164.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">polling average</a> in Iowa is 48.8%, well ahead of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s 17.3% and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley’s 11.5%. Trump also holds the <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2024/president/us/2024_republican_presidential_nomination-7548.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lead</a> in the national GOP primary average of polls.

Donald Trump, Ben Carson

Ben Carson Endorses Trump For President: ‘Biggest Threat To The Administrative State’

Ben Carson

Endorsement

A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/u-s-house-of-representatives">House</a> Republican said on Wednesday that she has received death threats after flipping against Rep. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jim-jordan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jim Jordan</a> (R-OH) for speaker.
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), who made the announcement, voted for House Appropriations Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) in the second ballot after backing Jordan in the first one on Tuesday.
&#8220;Since my vote in support of Chairwoman Granger, I have received credible death threats and a barrage of threatening calls. The proper authorities have been notified and my office is cooperating fully,&#8221; Miller-Meeks <a href="https://millermeeks.house.gov/media/press-releases/miller-meeks-statement-speaker-vote-and-death-threats">said in a statement</a>. &#8220;One thing I cannot stomach, or support is a bully.&#8221;
&#8220;Someone who threatens another with bodily harm or tries to suppress differing opinions undermines opportunity for unity and regard for freedom of speech,&#8221; Miller-Meeks added. &#8220;That’s why I spoke out forcefully against censorship and suppression during the COVID-19 pandemic. I did not stand for bullies before I voted for Chairwoman Granger and when I voted for Speaker designee Jordan, and I will not bend to bullies now.&#8221;
Jordan, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, <a href="https://twitter.com/Jim_Jordan/status/1714779942523699416">released</a> a statement on X condemning threats against fellow members of the House.
&#8220;No American should accost another for their beliefs,&#8221; Jordan said. &#8220;We condemn all threats against our colleagues and it is imperative that we come together. Stop. It’s abhorrent.&#8221;
A spokesperson for Jordan also <a href="https://twitter.com/elwasson/status/1714776858556862481">told reporters</a> in response to the threats against Miller-Meeks, &#8220;This is abhorrent and has no place in civil discourse. No one should receive threats and it needs to stop. We have condemned these actions repeatedly. It is important that Republicans stop attacking each other and come together.&#8221;
Miller-Meeks said she voted for Jordan in the first ballot because she &#8220;respected Jim enough to vote for him, knowing he did not have the votes to be elected.&#8221; In the second ballot, Miller-Meeks said, she picked Granger &#8220;because she has demonstrated great leadership this year by bringing forth, and passing, fiscally responsible, single-subject appropriations bills and is a staunch conservative.&#8221;
So far, no one has been able to win the requisite majority to secure the speakership. Jordan has indicated that he plans to stay in the House speaker race after <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jim-jordan-loses-ground-in-second-house-speaker-vote-loss">two defeats</a> in which at least 20 Republicans opposed his bid. A <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/what-to-expect-next-after-jordan-comes-up-short-in-two-speaker-ballots">third vote</a> could happen as early as Wednesday.
Miller-Meeks said her offices have received calls from people urging her to support Jordan and others telling her to &#8220;look for a conservative consensus candidate.&#8221; The congresswoman concluded by calling on the GOP to rally around a &#8220;consensus candidate so we can get back to the work forwarding appropriations, supporting Israel, and stopping the insane policies of the Biden Administration.&#8221;

Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA)

Lawmaker Reports Death Threats After Flipping Speaker Vote

Congress

Jim Jordan

U.S.

U.S. House of Representatives

A recently-resurfaced 2007 video of President Joe Biden shows that he knew exactly what was likely to happen when American troops pulled out of Afghanistan — and despite that, he did it anyway in 2021.
Biden made the comments during a campaign stop in Winterset, Iowa, as he was still vying for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination which ultimately went to former President Barack Obama.
With regard to Afghanistan, then-Sen. Biden (D-DE) warned that pulling American troops out would take longer than most people realized — and that if they rushed into a withdrawal and left American military equipment behind, things would be dramatically worse going forward.
WATCH:
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🚨 WOW!! Buried 2007 video of Senator Joe Biden discussing troop removal from Afghanistan. It would be a shame if everyone saw this..
&quot;And you leave those billions of dollars of weapons behind I promise they&#39;re going to be used against your grandchild and mine some day.&quot; (h/t… <a href="https://t.co/bavntcRuCB">pic.twitter.com/bavntcRuCB</a>
&mdash; TONY™️ (@TONYxTWO) <a href="https://twitter.com/TONYxTWO/status/1711561280450924907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Biden began by saying that he understood people wanted to see American troops return home, but that even if the war ended right then, they needed to still consider the fact that it would take some time to bring everyone safely home — a year, by his estimate.
&#8220;It will take a year to get the American troops out,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Do you hear me now? That&#8217;s the truth. It will take a year to get them physically out.&#8221;
&#8220;Now, if you leave all the equipment behind, you might be able to do it in seven months,&#8221; Biden continued, but he warned that leaving the equipment behind was sure to have repercussions: &#8220;You leave those billions of dollars of weapons behind, I promise, they&#8217;re going to be used against your grandchild and mine some day.&#8221;
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At the time Biden made those comments, there were approximately <a href="https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-military/2016/07/06/a-timeline-of-u-s-troop-levels-in-afghanistan-since-2001/#:~:text=December%202007%3A%20The%20force%20in%20Afghanistan%20rises%20to%2025%2C000." target="_blank" rel="noopener">20,o00-25,000 American service members in Afghanistan</a> — and the major focus of the War on Terror had shifted to Iraq.
Despite the apparent foreknowledge that a rushed withdrawal would lead to American military equipment and weapons falling into the hands of enemy fighters, Biden&#8217;s administration went ahead with just such a withdrawal in late August 2021.
The end result of Biden&#8217;s plan was a chaotic and deadly scene at Hamid Karzai International Airport, as desperate Afghans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-u-s-suspends-flights-at-kabul-airport-after-afghans-swarm-runway-cling-to-departing-planes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tried anything</a> to get out of the country. A suicide bomb attack at the airport&#8217;s Abbey Gate killed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-ultimate-disrespect-gold-star-families-trash-biden-admin-over-afghanistan-withdrawal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13 American service members</a>. And billions of dollars worth of American equipment fell quickly into the hands of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/taliban-releases-photos-of-the-u-s-equipment-they-seized-from-bidens-disastrous-pullout" target="_blank" rel="noopener">waiting Taliban</a>, which took control of the country almost immediately.

President Biden Delivers Remarks On Protecting Consumers From Hidden Junk Fees

Resurfaced 2007 Video Proves Biden Knew Afghanistan Exit Would Be Disastrous

Afghanistan

Biden Campaign

Conflicts

Terrorism

Local Iowa law enforcement officials disputed Republican presidential candidate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vivek-ramaswamy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vivek Ramaswamy&#8217;s</a> claims on social media on Thursday that two left-wing protesters intentionally rammed their car into his campaign vehicle during an event, saying that there was &#8220;no evidence&#8221; that the people were involved in the protest or that they intentionally crashed their car into his campaign&#8217;s parked vehicle.
Ramaswamy <a href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy/status/1710033161290240482" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on X that he &#8220;had a civil exchange&#8221; with protesters and that &#8220;two of them then got into their car &amp; rammed it into ours&#8221; while some of his <a href="https://twitter.com/stclairashley/status/1710024045201109410" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surrogates</a> said that the car &#8220;drove off.&#8221; Ramaswamy <a href="https://twitter.com/VivekGRamaswamy/status/1710033161290240482" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suggested</a> that the incident was an example of &#8220;violence.&#8221;
The Grinnell Police Department pushed back on nearly all the claims from Ramaswamy and his supporters, according to a statement shared by Brianne Pfannenstiel, the Chief Politics Reporter for the Des Moines Register.
Police say that they arrived at Saints Rest Coffee House at 1:02 p.m. after getting a call about a &#8220;property damage accident.&#8221;
&#8220;Upon arrival GPD contacted a Celia Meagher, 22 y.0., of Grinnell, who stated she had just eaten lunch at Jay&#8217;s Deli, located in the back of Saints Rest Coffee House, got into her 2007 Honda Civic, blue in color, bearing MN plates, and began backing out of her parking spot, to proceed northbound on Broad Street,&#8221; police said. &#8220;While backing up she accidentally made contact with a 2023 Ford Expedition, black in color, bearing FL plate YRP043, her Honda&#8217;s rear passenger side bumper impacted the driver side rear bumper of the Ford. The Ford was parked on the opposite side of the street, unoccupied at the time of the accident.&#8221;
Police said that the impact caused &#8220;minor damage to both vehicles&#8221; and that Meagher was released from the scene with a traffic summons for unsafe backing. The vehicle that Ramaswamy&#8217;s campaign was using was a rental.
&#8220;The purpose of this media release is to clarify information circulating on social media concerning the details of this accident,&#8221; police said. &#8220;It was reported on social media that two protestors intentionally rammed into the Ramaswamy&#8217;s vehicle and fled the scene. Our investigation has revealed no evidence to substantiate that information. Meagher stated she was not in the area to protest, she did not know who the vehicle she struck belonged to, she did not intentionally back into the vehicle, and she did not flee the scene of the accident.&#8221;
The police department said that if anyone had additional information about the case, they should contact the department.
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Ramaswamy campaign spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stood by her initial claims of what happened, saying that she was &#8220;very confident, as a witness.&#8221;
A video that the campaign promoted on social media showed the car honking one time, throwing a middle finger out of the window, and then reversing.
&#8220;McLaughlin said the campaign did not have video of the collision itself, and Ramaswamy said he did not see the accident take place,&#8221; the Des Moines Register reported.
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Ramaswamy camp stands by their version of the story after being asked to respond to police’s narrative. They share video of car honking &amp; flipping off Ramaswamy. Campaign doesn’t have footage of collision itself. Spox: “I’m very confident, as a witness” that it was protesters. <a href="https://t.co/Njj2LGTM42">https://t.co/Njj2LGTM42</a> <a href="https://t.co/YMwhZi9n0H">pic.twitter.com/YMwhZi9n0H</a>
&mdash; Galen Bacharier (@galenbacharier) <a href="https://twitter.com/galenbacharier/status/1710108616689115524?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Police Say ‘No Evidence’ Protester ‘Intentionally Rammed’ Ramaswamy Campaign’s Car; Campaign Stands By Statement

Police Say 'No Evidence' Protester 'Intentionally Rammed' Ramaswamy Campaign's Car; Campaign Stands By Statement

Law Enforcement

Vivek Ramaswamy

[UPDATE]: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/police-say-no-evidence-protester-intentionally-rammed-ramaswamy-campaigns-car-campaign-stands-by-statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Police Say &#8216;No Evidence&#8217; Protester &#8216;Intentionally Rammed&#8217; Ramaswamy Campaign&#8217;s Car; Campaign Stands By Statement</a>
An empty vehicle belonging to pharmaceutical executive <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/vivek-ramaswamy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vivek Ramaswamy&#8217;s</a> presidential campaign was hit at a campaign event in Iowa on Thursday by a couple of left-wing demonstrators who had protested him earlier.
A small group of protesters shouted at the presidential candidate outside of the event before two of them, both in their twenties, later got in their car and drove off, but not before hitting the parked car. A Daily Mail reporter said that the damage was minor, totaling a few hundred dollars for each vehicle.
The 38-year-old reportedly has a private security detail.
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The estimated cost of repair is $600 to each vehicle.
&mdash; Katelyn Caralle (@Katelyn_Caralle) <a href="https://twitter.com/Katelyn_Caralle/status/1710017827187405102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;I believe in free speech, especially for those who disagree with me,&#8221; Ramaswamy posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. &#8220;Violence is never the answer. We will always hold ourselves to a higher standard than the other side.&#8221;
Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/protesters-hit-ramaswamy-campaign-vehicle-outside-iowa-event" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that the Grinnell Police Department was called to the scene over a &#8220;property damage incident.&#8221;
The report noted that Ramaswamy&#8217;s campaign could not say definitively whether the incident was intentional, although they did call it &#8220;unAmerican and unacceptable.&#8221;
The Associated Press <a href="https://www.abc27.com/news/us-world/politics/ap-ramaswamy-says-protesters-slammed-a-car-into-his-vehicle-while-he-was-campaigning-in-iowa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that Ramaswamy sent out fundraising emails in response to the crash and asked supporters to “stand for free speech” by donating to him.

10X Ladies Empowerment Seminar

Empty Ramaswamy Campaign Vehicle Hit At Event By Protesters

The largest public school district in Iowa changed its employment practices to consider hiring people with criminal records after years of potential workers failing background checks due to past misdemeanor or felony convictions.
Superintendent Ian Roberts of the Des Moines Public School District, which serves approximately 30,000 students at more than 60 different schools, announced the change during a public forum on Sunday, according to local media.
&#8220;I believe that people are so much better than the worst thing they&#8217;ve ever done,&#8221; Roberts said, according to the <a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2023/10/05/new-des-moines-public-schools-policy-changes-aim-to-remove-employment-barriers-diversify-staff/71038946007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Des Moines Register</a>. &#8220;I have overturned at least … five or six decisions around not hiring individuals based on something in their background because they have an opportunity not only for them to be redeemed, but for them to add value to the students that we are serving.&#8221;
Roberts said the school board granted him the &#8220;green light to make the right decisions&#8221; but contended that the district would decline to hire an individual who could endanger students, staff, or educators.
Top administrators said the shift comes amid the school district&#8217;s attempt to diversify its teachers and staff of nearly 5,000. The outlet cited Iowa Department of Education statistics, which reports about 80% of the staff members are white, while two-thirds of the district&#8217;s students are Hispanic and black.
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Phil Roeder, a spokesperson for the district, told the outlet that state law requires background checks for employees every five years.
Susan Tallman, the district&#8217;s talent and personnel director, told the outlet that having a criminal offense on a background check does not automatically disqualify an applicant.
The district&#8217;s change in hiring practices comes after officials <a href="https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/education/des-moines-public-schools-dmps-replacing-sro-school-resource-officers-new-program-safety-urban-dreams/524-338775a7-2eda-4321-9ee3-545fedbdf9b7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> ended its contract with school resource officers from the Des Moines Police Department more than two years ago, citing concerns over law enforcement disproportionality overusing authority towards students of color.
Instead, district officials used other methods to keep campuses safe with coordinators, monitors, and facilitators.
However, after the first year of the new system, parents and police <a href="https://www.axios.com/local/des-moines/2022/02/28/des-moines-public-schools-school-resource-officers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> Axios that student behavioral problems reached a &#8220;fever pitch,&#8221; as the outlet reports.
Parents raised concerns about a rise in violence and bullying at some schools in the district, while police reports show a range of weapons, from guns to bricks, have been identified in school fights. Other records reported by the outlet showed students assaulting teachers and staff.

Iowa School District Changes Hiring Policy To Consider Applicants With Criminal History: Report

Iowa School District Changes Hiring Policy To Consider Applicants With Criminal History

Criminal Justice

Des Moines

Education

Public Schools

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