© Reuters. Dave Brummel, a supporter of Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump, poses for a portrait as he has breakfast in a restaurant, in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., January 13, 2024. REUTERS/Marco Bello
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By Tim Reid and Nathan Layne
DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) – Inside a packed cafe in Iowa’s capital Des Moines, Dave Brommel says he has been desirous about Monday evening’s Iowa caucuses ever since Democratic President Joe Biden received the 2020 election.
Brommel, a retired U.S. Air Drive veteran, blames Biden for the excessive prices of meals and gasoline. He thinks Republicans do a greater job of taking good care of navy veterans.
When he takes half within the first-in-the-nation nominating contest, Brommel, 69, mentioned he’ll do all the pieces he can to steer fellow voters that former President Donald Trump is the strongest Republican contender to tackle Biden within the November U.S. election.
“I will tell them to ignore the mean tweets and focus on Trump’s record,” Brommel mentioned earlier than ordering biscuits and gravy on the Waveland Cafe on Saturday morning. “The country needs a businessman back in charge.”
Two dozen Republicans interviewed throughout snowbound Iowa in latest days largely agreed on one factor: Like him or detest him, the frontrunner Trump looms massive over Monday’s vote and his two most important rivals, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.
So, too, do considerations concerning the economic system, international affairs, safety alongside the U.S.-Mexico border and the general route of the nation, the voters mentioned. A number of mentioned they needed a candidate who may unite the nation at a time of acrimonious splits over social and political points.
Retired college instructor Kathy Conquest, 78, braved the chilly final week to look at Haley make one in every of her remaining pitches to a gaggle of Iowa voters in Ankeny. Afterward, Conquest mentioned she was nonetheless undecided, torn between Haley and DeSantis.
What about Trump, for whom she voted in 2016?
“Trump? God no!” she mentioned, including she disliked his divisiveness and the drama that surrounds him.
Citing international coverage as one in every of her prime points, Conquest mentioned Haley’s expertise as United Nations ambassador underneath Trump impressed her.
On the identical occasion, Jon Erkkila, 54, a Haley supporter, described Trump as “jet fuel” for Democrats’ possibilities, as a result of he believes Trump will drive hordes of them to the polls in November to vote in opposition to him.
Erkkila desires a Republican who can beat Biden and believes Haley can appeal to extra reasonable voters in a basic election.
A ballot launched on Saturday confirmed Haley overtaking DeSantis for second place amongst Iowa Republicans. Whereas Trump was the highest choose for 48% of respondents, Haley was the favourite for 20%, adopted by DeSantis with 16%, based on the Des Moines Register/NBC Information/Mediacom Iowa Ballot.
At a DeSantis marketing campaign occasion on Saturday, Michelle Mahoney, a 58-year-old businesswoman from West Des Moines, mentioned she voted for Trump twice however would go for Haley or DeSantis on Monday.
Haley, she mentioned, was a unifier. As for DeSantis: “He gets stuff done.”
HIGH COSTS BRING HIGH CONCERNThe economic system and excessive costs are weighing on the minds of Iowa Republicans. Up to now yr, inflation and unemployment numbers have gone down whereas wages have elevated, financial knowledge Biden is campaigning on. However many People say they don’t but see the advantages of Biden’s insurance policies and disapprove of his efficiency as president.
Selecting up a espresso for himself and donuts for his 7- and 9-year-old daughters bundled of their winter jackets, Zach Mefferd, 40, mentioned he has been considering quite a bit concerning the caucuses, and the economic system was his No. 1 situation.
The small enterprise proprietor, who declined to say whom he’ll assist on Monday, mentioned he believes the Biden administration has been fiscally reckless, spending an excessive amount of and including to the nationwide debt.
“When are we going to decide that we are not going to continue to print money? What are we teaching our younger generations?” Mefferd requested.
At a brewery in Indianola’s historic downtown sq., a cross part of Iowa’s voters – a Democrat, a Republican and an unbiased – noticed the problems at stake on Monday evening in another way however agreed on the specified end result: a loss for Trump.
Russ Vanderhoef, a retired highschool English instructor, mentioned two of his mates – fellow Democrats – have been planning to cross over and vote within the caucuses for one in every of Trump’s rivals. Vanderhoef, 76, mentioned he nonetheless believes Trump will win on Monday and was beginning to fear concerning the implications of a second Trump time period as president.
“Right now democracy is the key issue,” Vanderhoef mentioned, echoing a central argument made by Biden that Trump is a menace to U.S. democracy in gentle of his efforts to overturn the 2020 election outcome.
Sitting to Vanderhoef’s proper was his son-in-law, who requested that he not be named for worry of recriminations at his work. He mentioned he voted for Trump in 2016 however now views him as a “horrible person.” On Monday, he mentioned, DeSantis will get his vote.