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WATCH the Battle for Iowa: Trump Crowds vs. DeSantis Crowds

When it comes to political theater, some moments stand out as sheer spectacle — and boy, did we witness one this weekend at the Iowa State Fair!

For anyone doubting the fervor of the MAGA movement or questioning Trump’s stranglehold on the Republican base, Saturday was a brutal wake-up call.

If crowd size and energy are anything to go by, the former president isn’t just leading the GOP pack — he’s practically lapping them.

As the contenders for the Republican presidential nomination descended on the fair, trying their best to strike a chord with the heartland and outshine each other, it was clear that Trump still knows how to put on a show.

Trump Force One, making its majestic pass over the fairgrounds, wasn’t just a symbol of grandeur — it was a masterstroke of political theater, turning heads even from those attending DeSantis’s event.

Poor Ron DeSantis.

Here’s a guy who’s been at the forefront of conservative talking points for the past few years.

Yet, on Saturday, his attempts to make waves were drowned out by a cacophony of MAGA cheers.

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Even the majestic Pork Producers Event, a staple of the fair, saw its limelight stolen as people craned their necks skywards, enchanted by the silhouette of Trump’s aircraft rather than DeSantis’s grilling skills.

It’s got to sting a bit when an airplane gets a louder ovation than you do!

And speaking of crowd size, the former president couldn’t help but jab at the modest turnouts for his competitors, highlighting the glaring disparity between his following and theirs.

It was a not-so-subtle reminder of his undying influence within the party.

Trump, with his larger-than-life persona, effectively turned the entire event into a homecoming parade, his fans shouting his name as if he had never left the political arena.

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The message was clear: MAGA is not just alive; it’s thriving.

And for those who once hoped Trump’s influence would wane, or that another contender might rise to challenge his dominance, this weekend served as a stark reality check.

The Trump train isn’t slowing down.

If anything, it’s picking up steam, leaving other Republican hopefuls in its dust.

Now, we await the next act in this political drama, but if Saturday is any indication, Trump’s comeback tour is just getting started.

Buckle up, folks, because the 2024 election cycle promises to be one for the history books.

The Daily Mail reports:

Donald Trump arrived at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday in a grand entrance that overshadowed Ron DeSantis and the other contenders for the Republican presidential nomination who were trying to counter the power of the former president.

Trump, who is leading DeSantis, his closest rival, by double digits in the polls, told DailyMail.com the Florida governor should drop out of the race.

‘He didn’t have many people show up,’ Trump said of DeSantis. ‘That’s not good. He’s doing very poorly in the polls. Very, very poorly. And I think he’s going to be leaving the race pretty soon, I think.’

Asked if he would debate DeSantis, Trump replied: ‘He really should leave the race.’

DeSantis, meanwhile, struggled to outshine the former president as the two candidates worked the fair grounds on the same day.

He and his wife Casey brought their three children to the state fair, riding the bumper cars and visiting the pork tent, but the Florida governor’s time on the ground turned into a farce as protesters out yelled him at his own events and Trump supporters shouted at him.

A group of five liberal protestors disrupted DeSantis’ first event – a ‘fair-side chat’ with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds – before they were ejected and banned from returning to fairgrounds until September 2024.

DeSantis talk continued after the protesters were taken out. A small child fell asleep as the Florida governor spoke. And as DeSantis worked the grill at the Pork Producers Event, the crowd turned away from him to watch Trump Force One fly overhead.

Meanwhile, the former president arrived in the grandeur that only Trump can bring. Trump Force One flew low over the fairgrounds for the crowd to see. Secret Service wanded a long line of people waiting to get into Steers & Steins to see the former president. Mobs followed him throughout the fairgrounds, shouting his name.

At his speech to supporters, Trump mocked the other contenders at the fair that day – in addition to DeSantis, Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy were campaigning in Iowa.

‘The other candidates came here and had like six people,’ he said.

Oh, how the mighty predictions of the establishment and so-called “experts” have faltered!

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It wasn’t too long ago that pundits were predicting a meteoric rise for Ron DeSantis, claiming he would be the GOP’s new standard-bearer.

But after Saturday’s spectacle at the Iowa State Fair, those same voices must be scratching their heads, rethinking their bets, and maybe even reaching for a slice of that ever-humble pie.

DeSantis, a prominent figure in his own right, entered the fairgrounds with the hope of making a splash and connecting with Iowa’s heartland voters.

Yet, from the onset, he seemed to be swimming against a powerful MAGA tide.

The chants of “We love Trump!” reverberating around him as he flipped pork chops weren’t just chants.

They were a forceful reminder of the unwavering loyalty of Trump’s base.

Take a look below:

Now, one might wonder, what happened to those heady days when DeSantis was being hailed as the next Republican juggernaut, poised to outshine even Trump himself?

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As it stands, trailing by an astounding 40 percent in polling averages ahead of the 2024 primaries doesn’t exactly scream “front runner.”

And if the data weren’t embarrassing enough, the visual cues were even more telling.

Those “Trump won” hats and signs dotting the fairgrounds were a silent but profound testament to where the allegiance of the base truly lies.

And let’s not even start on that cheeky aerial banner urging Ron to be “likeable.”

One can’t help but chuckle at the irony.

The Hill has more details on Ron’s humiliating showing:

GOP presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faced tough crowds at the Iowa State Fair on Saturday.

DeSantis, who is trailing former President Trump by an average of nearly 40 percent in polling averages ahead of the 2024 primaries, was heckled by supporters of the former president as he tried to connect with fairgoers in Iowa.

“We love Trump!” the crowd chanted while DeSantis flipped pork chops at the fair.

Others joined in silently with “Trump won” hats or signs.

Someone also flew above the fairgrounds with a banner that reads “Be likeable, Ron!”

In politics, momentum is everything.

And right now, Trump’s momentum is akin to a freight train hurtling down the tracks at full speed.

As for DeSantis?

It seems he might have to do more than flip pork chops to turn the tide in his favor.

The establishment might want to rethink their predictions because, at this rate, the MAGA train shows no signs of stopping.

And Trump?

He’s still firmly at the helm.


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