For DeSantis and Haley, a Post-Iowa Question: How Long Can You Run?
Published 01/17/24 08:00 AM ET
Joe Concha
Thirty-one minutes. That's how quickly several news organizations called the Iowa caucus for Donald Trump on Monday night, in what was a stunning show of strength by the former president. Trump would go on to win 98 of the state’s 99 counties, swept almost every demographic, and bested rivals Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley to the tune of 30- and 32-point margins, respectively.
Fourteen months ago, the presidential prospects looked promising for Gov. DeSantis (R-Fla.) on the night he won reelection in his gubernatorial race against former Florida governor and U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist. DeSantis’s 19-point victory in a state that used to be a tossup was one of the few highlights for Republicans in November 2022, as the party fumbled an easy chance to win back the Senate and barely took control of the House.
At the time, DeSantis was seen as the younger, more disciplined version of Donald Trump, and a guy with far, far less personal and legal baggage. The governor had an impressive record to run on: Crime in Florida is at a 50-year low; more people and businesses are moving there than to any other state. And DeSantis showed he could reach Democratic and Hispanic and independent voters in 2022 after taking 62 of 67 counties against Crist, including deep-blue Palm Beach and Miami-Dade.
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https://themessenger.com/opinion/iowa-ron-desantis-nikki-haley-new-hampshire-republican-primary-gop-nominee
