Iowans are flocking to Des Moines this weekend to attend the Iowa State Fair with the hopes of eating renowned food, seeing the famous butter cow, and hearing from 2024 Republican presidential candidates.
Almost every GOP candidate will attend the fair’s soapbox hosted by the Des Moines Register and speak with Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA) in a conversation series — a tradition among presidential hopefuls looking to appeal to voters in a key battleground state.
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Here’s everything to know about the fair and its effect on Republican candidates ahead of the 2024 Iowa caucuses.
Trump and DeSantis to arrive Saturday
Former President Donald Trump and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), the GOP presidential race’s front-runners, are set to arrive at the fair on Saturday.
Trump will be testing boundaries in several ways as he heads to the Iowa State Fair. For one, he is bringing an entourage of nine Florida Republicans who snubbed DeSantis and endorsed Trump for president.
The former president will also be entering Reynolds’s territory a month after he attacked her on Truth Social, claiming responsibility for her victory in becoming governor and slamming her for not endorsing him. He is not on the list to speak with the Iowa governor at her “Fair Side Chats.”
More pressure is on DeSantis, as the Iowa caucuses in January will be crucial for the Florida governor to build momentum. He is slated to join Reynolds for her conversation series on Saturday.
Ahead of his fair appearance, the Florida governor has held several campaign events in the Hawkeye State, looking to close the substantial lead that Trump has over him and the other candidates.
DeSantis does have one thing Trump does not: a glowing review from Reynolds herself. The Iowa governor said on Thursday that he is “showing up in rural Iowa” and praised his ability to talk and listen to voters.
She withheld an endorsement of DeSantis, most likely using this weekend as a good baseline for any endorsements in the future.
Other GOP candidates already working the crowds
Several Republican presidential hopefuls arrived on the first day of the fair, speaking to voters and attending the soapbox or conversation series.
Larry Elder, former Vice President Mike Pence, and Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND) arrived on Thursday. Elder started Reynolds’s Fair Side Chats, stating he is a similar candidate to Trump but is a better choice for the White House in 2024 — a common strategy among conservative candidates hoping to appeal to Trump’s voter base.
Pence and Burgum spoke at the political soapbox on Thursday. Pence spoke to his combative relationship with Trump when asked by a voter why he “committed treason” on Jan. 6, saying, “I’ll always believe by God’s grace I did my duty that day” and that he “always will” choose the Constitution. The former vice president will sit down with Reynolds on Friday.
Burgum appealed to voters by stressing his small-town roots, arguing that they should not write him off despite his low polling.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez will also join Reynolds for her Fair Side Chats and attend the soapbox. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley arrives at the fair on Friday. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson will speak with Reynolds on Aug. 15, and former Texas Rep. Will Hurd and Ryan Binkley will appear on Aug. 18.
Iowa State Fair effect on 2024
2024 Republican presidential candidates are putting all of their efforts into the Iowa State Fair, and rightfully so, as the caucuses are one of the Republican Party’s most significant election events.
Trump remains the leading candidate nationwide and in Iowa. In the Hawkeye State, Trump holds 44% support compared to DeSantis at 20%, with all other candidates polling in the single digits.
DeSantis may also be facing another problem from behind — Scott has surged to third place in Iowa, gaining 10% since last year. Eyes are on Scott as a viable candidate to push the Florida governor out of second place.
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Still, DeSantis is shown to perform better against Trump in the state than any of the other candidates, earning 35% support compared to Trump’s 48%, with 17% undecided. In a Scott-Trump matchup, Trump leads the South Carolina senator 54% to 34%, with 12% undecided.
Despite Trump being the overwhelming favorite in Iowa, the fair will give candidates a chance to meet the voters one-on-one and possibly earn endorsements from Iowa senators, representatives, and Reynolds.
