Trump makes a grand entrance at the Iowa State Fair, dwarfing his rivals with stops at the pork tent and animal center
- Trump’s arrival dwarfed his contenders for the GOP nomination
- Former president leads polls for state and Republican nominations
- His first stop at the fair was the pork tent, where he was served a grilled cutlet
Donald Trump arrived at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday with a grand entrance that eclipsed Ron DeSantis and the other contenders for the Republican presidential nomination battling for voters in the important state still in the early stages of election assembly .
He arrived in the size that only Trump can bring. Trump Force One flew low over the fairgrounds for the crowd to see. The Secret Service directed a long line of people waiting to get into Steers & Steins to see the former president.
His first stop was the pork producers’ tent, where he accepted a grilled cutlet and waved it at the crowd, who roared back with delight.
Trump said it was a “beautiful day” to be in the state and he was glad to be in Iowa.
Donald Trump at the Iowa State Fair
There were even new campaign gear: bright green hats that read “Donald Trump Back to Back Iowa Champ” and bright green T-shirts that read “Make Our Farmers Great Again.”
Meanwhile, DeSantis, Trump’s closest rival for the Republican Party nomination, ambushed DeSantis at each of his stops on Saturday.
DeSantis started the morning with a fair side chat with Republican Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds — he was met by protesters whistling and ringing bells, drowning out his attempt to speak. They were eventually removed.
And as DeSantis flipped pork chops — a mandatory right of passage for presidential candidates — Trump supporters, waving distinctive bright green Trump campaign signs, began shouting, “We love Trump.”
Meanwhile, an airplane flew in a circle overhead, trailing a banner that read, “Be nice, Ron!”
Trump also brought a number of prominent Florida Republicans to Iowa who have backed him over DeSantis.
Donald Trump arrives in Iowa wearing a red Make America Great Again cap
The former president has many supporters in Iowa, but some Republicans are raising doubts about his ability to beat Joe Biden ahead of the former president’s appearance at the state fair on Saturday.
Trump leads the polls in Iowa – including 26 points in the latest poll – but he’s barely set foot in the state.
And while his rivals for the Republican nomination campaigned the old-fashioned way — visiting all 99 counties, visiting butter cows at the state carnival and tossing pork chops on the grill — Trump spent just a few hours on the ground.
The lack of appearances and barnstorming by his competitors could raise doubts about the former president among voters.
Reynolds hosts chats at the fair with every Republican presidential candidate except Trump, who declined her invitation, noting that she spoke well of her rival, Ron DeSantis.
Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa told Fox News that while Trump is leading the polls, “there’s also a bunch of people out there who’re going to say, ‘We need a fresh face out there.'”
Many Republicans are vying to be the fresh face. Mike Pence strolls through the fairgrounds for two days. He talked to Reynolds, ate pork and saw the famous butter cow.
Vivek Ramaswamy rapped to Eminen’s “Lose Yourself”. Nikki Haley worked the crowd.
Protesters filled an event hosted by Ron DeSantis, drowning him out
Vivek Ramaswamy wowed the crowd at the Iowa State Fair with a performance of “Lose Yourself.”
Longtime Republican Senator Chuck Grassley told , “When you’re at the State Fair, you’re engaging with the Iowans.” Make sense? That’s how you win a caucus.”
Grassley, who has escorted presidential candidates through the state fair, said he has not spoken to the former president, nor does he know what Trump has planned for Saturday.
‘I don’t know. But I know what he was doing eight years ago when he was here. He came in his helicopter and let the children fly in the helicopter. “He should do the same thing again,” he said.