Donald Trump skipped a motorcycles-and-barbecue fundraiser that’s the marquee Republican political event of the early summer in Iowa, ceding the stage to a gaggle of contenders led by Florida Gov. Ron Desantis.
DeSantis, faced with pressure to improve his retail politics, worked crowds at U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride on Saturday — he stopped for ice cream with his children at a stand his super PAC set up in the parking lot at the Des Moines event, signed the side of his team’s touring bus and posed for pictures.
His wife, Casey DeSantis, wore a black leather jacket that said “WHERE WOKE GOES TO DIE” inside an outline of the state of Florida.
Trump, who met with GOP state officials earlier in the week, was a no-show at the Des Moines biker rally and cattle-call for presidential aspirants. Polls give the former U.S. president a wide lead over DeSantis, his closest challenger, and the rest of the pack.
DeSantis, trailed by a pack of reporters, didn’t answer questions about whether he’d sign a pledge promising to support the eventual GOP nominee. Asked about Trump’s absence, he said he was just happy to be there — then made a beeline to pet some puppies.
“I thought there was a little more fire in DeSantis than normal and I was happy to see that,” said audience member Sarah Williams, a retail manager from Cedar Rapids.
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