Donald Trump will attend the Iowa State Fair this Saturday, his campaign announced on Tuesday, a move likely designed to steal the limelight from his White House rivals, especially Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who will visit the event on the same day.
It had not been clear until now that Trump, the runaway frontrunner for the Republican nomination, would attend the annual fair, a political must for aspiring presidential candidates in state capital Des Moines that runs from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20.
Trump's decision to attend the event on the same day flagged earlier by DeSantis, his closest rival for the nomination, is likely no coincidence.
DeSantis is desperately trying to recalibrate his campaign, which has been sinking in the polls and seen two staff shake-ups in the past two weeks.
The Iowa state fair last year attracted 1 million attendees and is an important venue for political candidates as they court voters in the state that opens the nominating contest in January.
Most of Trump's rivals, including DeSantis, have agreed to be interviewed individually at the state fair by Iowa's Republican Governor Kim Reynolds between Aug. 11 and Aug. 18, but Trump turned down her invitation. Trump has been angered by her public neutrality in the primary race and her appearance with DeSantis at several of his Iowa events.
In 2015, early in his ultimately successful bid for the White House, and when most pundits were dismissing his campaign, Trump flew into the Iowa State Fair in a helicopter.
He was given an enthusiastic reception by crowds, in an early sign of the support that would propel him to victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton in November 2016.
"Just like he had a great event in 2015, he's going to have a great event at the Iowa State Fair in 2023," a Trump aide told Reuters.
Trump is currently crushing his primary opposition. He is roughly 30 points ahead of DeSantis, with the others still only in single digits.
Trump has been telling crowds in recent weeks that he does not see the point of attending the first Republican debate on Aug. 23, because he is so far ahead of the field.
The aide said Trump has not ruled out attending the debate, but is "unlikely to attend."
© (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023.
24 Comments
funkymofo
How'd that Ohio ballot go?
dagon
MAGAs finest will surely come out for him this time too, and the nomination is his to lose.
Or more likely some courtroom drama will decide.
Sad that the era of epic debate between American political candidates and skillful rhetoric is gone and all that remains is empty spectacle.
wallace
With his jetliners and copters, Trump does not care about the environment and motorcades of a dozen cars or more. Trump's carbon footprint is very large.
EFD
As if the good people of Iowa didn't already have enough animal feces to shovel up at the end of this fair.....
EFD
Lost badly by 13+ points!
Seems taking rights away from women is not such a winning proposition.
Go figure.....
EFD
Defendant Don better be careful that he is not accidentally entered into a 4H contest. With a jowl like that, he might win best in show.
sunfunbun
GOP primary should be a reality program on Comedy Central.
'Trump and DeSantis: The Buffoon and the Idiot, a love story of hate and lies'
Strangerland
We MAGA cannot lose - all our boy's opponents either need to support him, in which case they lose to him, or oppose him, in which case they lose to him.
Our boy may be going to jail for all his crimes, but he's going to win the Republican primary because the GoP fortunately created a paradox that our boy wins no matter what.
sunfunbun
One thing about Americans who (stupidly) voted for Trump in 2016: Ohio shows that they can rethink their Trump gaslight and think with sanity.
Blacklabel
59-16 isn’t really a “rival”, but ok.
sunfunbun
The rival is your own lies. You guys just can't comprehend.
Blacklabel
I mean oh my god how dare Trump show up to an event for the Republican 2024 presidential candidates!
how dare he! That’s not fair, he won’t let anyone else have any attention!
Strangerland
Watching our Dear Leader argue with the Meatball is fun!
Jimizo
DeSantis is a gibbering crackpot.
Doesn’t even believe the 2020 election was stolen.
No wonder Trump’s spanking him in the polls with the modern day Galileos.
wallace
We all know that every day Trump was in office he lied to the American people.
Strangerland
What a loser. We MAGA know the truth, beyond all reasonable facts and evidence.
EFD
With a complextion like that, Defendant Don had better be careful or the fair attendees might think that he is deep fried butter and decide to take a spoon to his jowels.
Blacklabel
I spoke about Joe Biden on an article about his trip and it was deleted.
Was told Biden is off topic, can only talk about “the trip.” not Biden.
so in that case, the topic here would be “the fair” not any comments about the attendees.
wallace
Trump made a very long list of gaffes.
Strangerland
Yes! We refused to talk about Trump during the Trump era, what makes you think we are willing to talk about him now?
Unless you're going to admit Trump won in 2020 like every little MAGA is taught when he comes of age, don't even talk to us.
The only answer we have to any of your complaints is 'but hunter's laptop', and that wins ALL arguments.
We are MAGA and we have spoken.
Jimizo
I’m not getting into a debate with a modern day Galileo.
Too much under the bonnet.
Strangerland
Clearly you've uncovered an anti-right-wing conspiracy brother! We need to tell someone! Those dirty dems must be paying off someone...
wallace
The MAGA dark web. Don't go there. It will twist your mind.
finally rich
Trump is a crook.
Rent free forever since 2016.