Political heavyweight Bob Vander Plaats and prominent Iowa evangelical leader, recently threw his weight behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as the nation gears up for the upcoming presidential race. This endorsement adds to DeSantis’ growing support in Iowa, with Governor Kim Reynolds also voicing her backing.
Influential in the evangelical voting bloc within Iowa’s Republican caucuses, Vander Plaats has historically endorsed the eventual winner since 2008, lending considerable weight to his support for DeSantis. However, this decision has raised eyebrows due to DeSantis lagging behind Trump in polls, putting Vander Plaats’ influence over Iowa evangelicals to the test.
During a Fox News interview, Vander Plaats expressed his reservations about a potential Trump victory in 2024, pointing to DeSantis’ decisive victories and his conservative legislative accomplishments as reasons for throwing his support behind him. His endorsement also reflects concerns about Trump’s stance on abortion, with Vander Plaats being a prominent figure in the anti-abortion movement.
DeSantis’ public embrace of religious rhetoric and outreach to white evangelicals has been a cornerstone of his campaign, though questions remain about how he actively practices his Catholic faith. Notably, the wedding of Vander Plaats’ endorsement to DeSantis has sparked a response from Trump’s campaign, mentioning support from over 150 faith leaders in Iowa and insinuating that DeSantis paid for the endorsement.
Vander Plaats staunchly refuted the notion of a bought endorsement, emphasizing that support from DeSantis’ backers went toward ads at a candidate forum. In response, Trump took to social media to criticise Reynolds’ endorsement of DeSantis and extend support for Iowa farmers.
