We are now just weeks away from the January 15, 2024 Republican Iowa caucus, the first nominating contest in the country to kick off the primary season. While former and potentially future President Donald Trump remains in the lead for Iowa, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is still looking to give him a run for his money. Over the weekend he completeled his 99-county tour of Iowa, earning praise from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA). DeSantis also not only has the endorsement from the state's Gov. Kim Reynolds and of The Family List's Bob Vander Plaats, but of 42 state legislators. That's eight times the amount of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and twice the amount that Trump has, according to a DeSantis campaign official.
When I tell you I'm going to do something, you can take that promise to the bank.
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) December 1, 2023
I told Iowans I would visit all 99 counties in the Hawkeye State — and tomorrow, I will deliver on that promise. pic.twitter.com/UTtSPX5ueO
DeSantis doesn't merely have a considerable amount of endorsements in Iowa, but also in New Hampshire, which his campaign told New Hampshire Journal is at 100 total. The 65 legislative endorsements that DeSantis has is also more than any candidate in the race.
In Haley's state of South Carolina, DeSantis also has 19 endorsements from state legislatiors, including state Sen. Brian Adams, who previously supported Sen. Tim Scott. The senator, also of South Carolina, was in the race until he dropped out last month, and Adams' support came last week. The Associated Press had also covered not long after Scott had dropped out, that DeSantis, within days, had picked up 10 other endorsements from those previously supporting Scott.
As he campaigns in South Carolina today, @RonDeSantis earns the endorsement of Brian Adams, a state senator who had backed Tim Scott before he dropped out, per a person familiar.
— Will McDuffie (@wrmcduff) December 2, 2023
RealClearPolitics (RCP) currently shows Trump with 61.3 percent support overall, with DeSantis coming in second place with 13.2 percent. Haley is close behind DeSantis with 10.2 percent.
The Trump campaign has continuously gone after DeSantis, as well as now Haley in recent weeks as well. DeSantis will take the stage on Wednesday night at the fourth RNC debate, this time in Tuscaloosa. He also debated Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) last Thursday for Fox News' "The Great Red vs. Blue State Debate," moderated by Sean Hannity, during which he had many memorable and successful viral moments, such as when he held up a map tracking human feces on the streets of San Francisco.
As Scott highlighted on Monday, DeSantis also appeared on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle," where he once more called on Trump to debate him one-on-one, a request he first made while speaking with Hannity following the second debate at the end of September. Just as he did not appear in the previous three RNC debates, Trump is not expected to appear at the fourth debate.