Former President Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are both scheduled to hold rallies in Iowa on Saturday, marking the first time the two potential Republican presidential candidates will be in the same state at the same time this election cycle.[0] Trump will be speaking at the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park in Des Moines, while DeSantis will be attending events in Sioux Center and Cedar Rapids.[1] DeSantis is expected to announce his 2024 presidential campaign soon and has already received endorsements from 37 Iowa state legislators, including Senate President Amy Sinclair and House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl. However, Trump still sees DeSantis as his most serious potential challenger and has been critical of him, citing his voting record and disloyalty for considering a presidential bid after receiving Trump’s endorsement in his 2018 run for governor.[2] Despite this, DeSantis has been cautious in his approach to Trump, avoiding his constant missives and deflecting questions about his potential rival’s mounting legal troubles. The dueling rallies in Iowa highlight the escalating rivalry between the two leading contenders for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
0. “Trump and DeSantis to hold separate rallies in Iowa on Saturday” kwwl.com, 12 May. 2023, https://www.kwwl.com/news/politics/trump-and-desantis-to-hold-separate-rallies-in-iowa-on-saturday/article_56bb0398-e870-11ed-b99e-9b1078e5648e.html
1. “Trump will rally in Des Moines as Ron DeSantis holds Iowa events” Des Moines Register, 13 May. 2023, https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2023/05/13/donald-trump-will-rally-in-des-moines-as-ron-desantis-holds-iowa-events-republican-party-gop/70208379007/
2. “Trump and DeSantis collide in Iowa on Saturday as their looming 2024 battle intensifies” Action News Now, 13 May. 2023, https://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/trump-and-desantis-collide-in-iowa-on-saturday-as-their-looming-2024-battle-intensifies/article_b7089ba4-ad79-5833-ac75-a29a63a5df84.html
