“We are Iowans. This kind of weather won’t affect the election.” (Donald Trump supporter, Peggy Hutchinson)
Despite the cold snap on the 14th, a day before the Iowa Caucus, Simpson College in Indianola, where former President Donald Trump held his rally, buzzed with fervent supporters from the morning. As Trump, donning a white hat that read ‘Trump Caucus Captain,’ entered the rally with grand music at noon, cheers of ‘Trump’ erupted from various corners.
Trump emphasized that day on issues such as inflation, the border, and North Korea’s nuclear problem, asserting that the economy would recover and America would become safer if he were to become president again. He asked, “What on earth happened to bacon?” and said, “Food prices have risen by 42%, and rents have increased by 35~45%. The only one becoming rich now is Joe Biden.” He criticized the Biden administration’s diplomatic situation, saying, “Kim Jong Un liked me, and I got along well with him,” and “We were safe.”
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Regarding the major interest of this caucus, ‘breaking the 50% vote rate,’ Trump revealed his anticipation by saying, “The number itself is not important,” but “let’s see if we can achieve 50%.” A foreign reporter at the rally said, “Trump is saying that he is very popular, but he has to prove it in this caucus,” and “breaking 50% is a very exciting point.”
As Trump rallied his support base, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley emphasized that her approval rating is on the rise. Haley appeared on Fox News Sunday and stressed, “The only number that matters to me is that we are rising and the other candidates are falling,” and “This shows that we are doing the right thing.” In a poll released by the local influential media Des Moines Register the day before, Haley rose to the second place with a 20% approval rating, surpassing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (16%).
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However, Haley, aware of the previous day’s poll that only 9% of her supporters were passionate about her, appealed to come to the polls without fail. She said at a rally held at a barbecue restaurant that day, “Former President Trump was the right president at the time, and I agree with many of his policies. But chaos follows,” and “The country is in chaos, and the world is on fire. We can’t spend another four years in chaos.” She asked me to choose her.
She also said, “I will beat Joe Biden in the presidential election. That is a command to protect the border, stop spending, and save the country,” highlighting that she has higher competitiveness in the main competition than former President Trump.
As the 1-2 ranking in the Republican primary solidified as former President Trump and former Ambassador Haley, the nerve war between the two sides also fiercely unfolded. Haley responded to Trump’s remark the day before that she ‘is not strong enough to be president,’ saying, “It’s funny to think that when I was the UN ambassador, Trump always told people ‘don’t mess with Haley. She is strong.’” The Trump camp is also raising suspicions about the source of Haley’s campaign funds. Gail Kust, a Trump camp official who met at the rally, said, “Haley is receiving funds from Democratic supporters,” and “I can’t trust her at all.”
Meanwhile, Larry Hogan, the former governor of Maryland, known as the ‘Korean son-in-law,’ denied the rumor of running for the three major positions on this day and officially declared his support for former Ambassador Haley. He said, “It’s time for the Republican Party to support Haley,” and “If Haley comes in second in Iowa, it’s possible to win in New Hampshire (the next election).” On the contrary, Senator Marco Rubio, who competed with former President Trump in the 2016 presidential election, officially declared his support for Trump, saying, “We need to save America.” Governor DeSantis, whose constituency is Florida, was hit politically again by his declaration of support for Trump.
By. Sharon Lee
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