By Will Weissert and Thomas Beaumont
DES MOINES, Iowa — In an effort to win over influential Iowa evangelical Christians, some of GOP’s top contenders for the presidential nomination are set to address a gathering on Saturday. Notably absent from the event is former President Donald Trump, who has maintained his popularity with evangelical Christians despite skipping several similar events.
The Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition’s annual banquet and town hall in Des Moines is expected to feature former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy as speakers. Other scheduled speakers include Nikki Haley, Senator Tim Scott, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and former Texas Rep. Will Hurd.
The audience consists primarily of devout and well-connected social conservatives, a group that has historically played a decisive role in Iowa’s Republican caucuses. However, Trump’s strong lead in the GOP primary presents a challenge for his rivals this time around.
Despite Trump’s absence, his popularity with evangelical Christians and social conservatives remains strong. His appointments of three Supreme Court justices, who voted to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision, have been well-received by this group.
At a recent conference, Trump stated, “No president has ever fought for Christians as hard as I have, and I will keep fighting for Christians as hard as I can for four more years in the White House. Every promise I made to Christians as a candidate, I delivered.”
This gathering is the last opportunity for Iowa’s evangelical conservatives to see the candidates together, excluding Trump who has skipped similar events in the past. Abortion and gender education in schools are expected to be key topics of discussion.
Leading up to the banquet, DeSantis addressed the issue of gender education and expressed his opposition to progressive policies. He emphasized the importance of standing firm against opposition and vowed to battle for conservative values.
As President Joe Biden seeks re-election, he and his party are championing abortion rights and pledging to protect the guarantees of Roe v. Wade. Biden has also proposed federal rules to address transgender athletes in school sports. However, passing such measures through a divided Congress is deemed highly unlikely.
DeSantis, during his appearance in Red Oak, Iowa, vowed to fight against progressive ideologies and called for leaving the “woke” mindset in the past.
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