WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Home of the first-in-the nation caucuses, Iowa takes center stage in the 2024 presidential nomination chase this week, with stops from GOP heavyweights either in the race or seriously mulling over a run.
Fresh off announcing her presidential bid in her home state South Carolina and in first primary state New Hampshire, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is slated to make two campaign stops in Iowa this week. The former United Nations secretary under President Trump is scheduled to speak at a town hall event at 6 p.m. Monday at Royal Flooring, 11801 Hickman Road, in Urbandale, and at Legacy Manufacturing, 6509 Partners Ave, Marion, at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, for another town hall.
Haley’s fellow South Carolinian, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (pictured right), is slated to speak at Des Moines’ Drake University on Wednesday. Scott also plans to attend the Republican Party of Polk County’s annual Lincoln Dinner that evening, as he mulls a bid for the White House. A VIP reception begins at 5:30 p.m., with the main reception and dinner at 6:30 p.m. at the Marriott, 1250 Jordan Creek Pkwy, in West Des Moines.
A Special Evening with Vivek Ramaswamy at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Machine Shed, 11151 Hickman Road, in Urbandale. The 37-year-old conservative biotech engineer (pictured left), author of Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam‘, The Republican Party of Polk County will also host appears poised to join the GOP field of presidential contenders, that includes the Republican heavyweight champion, former President Donald Trump. Ramaswamy also will be in Bettendorf at noon Thursday for a luncheon event with the Scott County Republican Women.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who looks to be gearing up for a potential presidential run, was in Cedar Rapids last week at a parents rights rally against a controversial Linn-Mar Community School District transgender policy.
Haley’s call on Iowa comes on the heels of her suggestion that all elected officials and judges over the age of 75 should undergo competency tests to makes sure they’re up to the job — a clear shot at 80-year-old President Joe Biden, and possibly 76-year-old Trump. Biden, whose cognition has been in question over the course of his presidency, received a nearly clean bill of health from his physician last week. Dr. Kevin O’Connor, however, took no questions from reporters and didn’t address mounting concerns about the president’s mental acuity, The New York Post reported.
The president’s defenders — particularly the seniors in the mix — were apoplectic over Haley’s competency test comments.
“We are fighting racism, we’re fighting sexism, we’re fighting homophobia, I think we should also be fighting ageism,” said 81-year-old U.S. Senator Bernier Sanders (I-Vermont) said Sunday on Face the Nation.
Haley fired back on Twitter.
“Exactly what a career politician and socialist would say. This is about transparency,” Haley, 51, tweeted. “The Washington establishment is afraid of the people finding out some of our leaders aren’t fit to serve #LetTheSunshineIn.”
While the Democratic National Committee has dropped Iowa from its coveted position as first-in-the-nation presidential nomination state in favor of more “diverse” states, the GOP is keeping the Hawkeye Caucuses in the lead spot it has held for half a century. That means Iowa can expect to see a constant parade of presidential candidates and their surrogates over the next year.
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M.D. Kittle is the National Political Editor for The Star News Network.
Photo “Nikki Haley Campaign” by Nikki Haley; “Tim Scott” by Tim Scott; “Vivek Ramaswamy” is by Vivek Ramaswamy.
