Former President Donald Trump has announced the cancellation of his rally scheduled for tonight in Des Moines, Iowa, at 7 PM Central Time due to severe weather concerns. The Lauridsen Amphitheater was set to host the event as part of Trump's campaign efforts for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. This decision comes on the heels of his CNN blowout earlier this week.
Trump addressed his supporters via a post on Truth Social, stating that he would reschedule the rally soon and apologizing for any inconvenience caused by unforeseen circumstances. "Safety is our top priority," said Trump in the message, which comes after a tornado watch was issued by the National Weather Service through early evening.
Meanwhile, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis continued with his planned appearances in Iowa today despite potential weather disruptions. Earlier in the day, Gov. DeSantis attended Iowa Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra's annual family picnic event in Sioux Center and mingled with voters there.
Later this evening, DeSantis is also expected to headline a state party fundraising event in Cedar Rapids as part of his unofficial campaign activities ahead of next year's primary contest season – one where he may challenge former President Trump himself if both decide to run again.
While there have been limited polls conducted so far about potential Republican candidates' standings among Iowan voters, some insiders believe that these events could provide an opportunity for Gov. DeSantis to make a case against frontrunner Donald Trump should they face each other during primaries or caucuses down-the-road.
One recent WPA Intelligence survey showed Biden leading over Trump by 3.1%, while other surveys suggested that Gov. Ron DeSantis might perform better than former President Trump under specific conditions or scenarios within key states like Iowa as well.
As it stands now - despite being forced indoors due to a tornado watch - the political landscape in Iowa remains charged and uncertain, with potential GOP contenders like DeSantis seizing opportunities to make their mark before voters cast their ballots next year.