Florida Governor Ron DeSantis arrived in Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday evening for an unplanned last minute stop to meet with local conservatives after former President Donald Trump canceled a rally that he was supposed to host there over weather concerns.
DeSantis arrived at Jethro’s BBQ after crossing the state earlier in the day, traveling nearly 300 miles from Sioux Center in the morning to Cedar Rapids in the afternoon.
The restaurant was close to where Trump was supposed to hold a rally, but canceled at the last minute over concerns that there could be stormy weather.
Hours after speaking in Cedar Rapids, FL Gov. Ron DeSantis made an unscheduled stop in Des Moines – shaking hands with Iowans at a BBQ restaurant. Trump was set to hold a rally in Des Moines tonight but canceled this afternoon due to weather. @KCCINews pic.twitter.com/SCvctEBrg7
— Amanda Rooker KCCI (@ARookerKCCI) May 14, 2023
DeSantis added a stop at a barbecue restaurant in Des Moines, where Trump’s scheduled rally tonight was canceled. pic.twitter.com/NC2Z9J9gIa
— Natalie Allison (@natalie_allison) May 14, 2023
Florida @GovRonDeSantis makes an unscheduled appearance in Des Moines this evening.
He says if you’re willing to deliver results “the people will follow” adding “we’re gonna have a chance pretty soon to make sure that’s done in every state in the country.” pic.twitter.com/TDDYXogdAA
— Musadiq Bidar (@Bidar411) May 14, 2023
DeSantis was in Cedar Rapids a few hours ago.
He made a brief stop in Des Moines to greet supporters and take photos. pic.twitter.com/oHqyRblnkB
— Musadiq Bidar (@Bidar411) May 14, 2023
After Donald Trump canceled his Des Moines rally for inclement weather, Ron DeSantis added an unscheduled stop at a BBQ restaurant just down the road from where Trump was set to appear. He and his wife Casey are standing on a table talking to the crowd now pic.twitter.com/Ybxz2CVgva
— Brianne Pfannenstiel (@brianneDMR) May 14, 2023
.@RonDeSantisFL decided to make a pit stop in Des Moines to meet with supporters on a beautiful Iowa evening pic.twitter.com/IUUiYYSrRJ
— Erin Perrine (@ErinMPerrine) May 14, 2023
The National Weather Service had issued a tornado watch for a large portion of the state earlier in the day, leading to Trump’s decision to cancel the rally.
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However, the weather appeared to be good at the time Trump was supposed to speak at the venue in Des Moines, according to videos posted online.
Meanwhile, here is how things look at the venue where Trump’s rally was supposed to start 16 min ago. pic.twitter.com/ctivtI4R0p
— AG (@AGHamilton29) May 14, 2023
The Des Moines Register reported that the Trump campaign released a list of approximately 150 pro-Trump activists and elected officials who endorsed the former president in the state, including “about a dozen state legislators.”
The pro-DeSantis super PAC Never Back Down released a list of endorsements this week of 37 state-level Iowa lawmakers this week, including Senate President Amy Sinclair, Senate Majority Whip Waylon Brown, House Majority Leader Matt W. Windschitl, and House Speaker Pro Tempore John H. Wills.
Speaking in Sioux City earlier in the day, DeSantis said, “We got to demonstrate the courage to lead and the strength to win. If we do that, if we make 2024 election a referendum on Joe Biden and his failures, and if we provide a positive alternative for the future of this country, Republicans will win across the board.”
“If we do not do that, if we get distracted, if we focus the election on the past or on other side issues, then I think the Democrats are going to beat us again,” he said. “And I think it’ll be very difficult to recover from that defeat. And here’s the thing — I used to think our country was locked and loaded. Nothing can go wrong in terms of a free society. But freedom is fragile.”
