But when Trump took the stage after more than two hours of speeches by his lower-polling rivals, it took him less than three minutes to unleash his first direct attack of the night on his leading challenger, Florida governor Ron DeSantis.
Trump not only suggested that DeSantis was an “establishment globalist” but called him “DeSanctis,” which in Trump’s argot is short for the demeaning nickname DeSanctimonious and is so well-known that most attendees clearly got the reference. “I wouldn’t take a chance on that one,” Trump joked. The crowd of more than 1,200, which had warmly welcomed DeSantis when he spoke earlier, laughed and applauded throughout Trump’s riffs.
In contrast, DeSantis hadn’t mentioned Trump at all. The one speaker who did criticize Trump, former Rep. Will Hurd of Texas – who is so far from contention that he’s not even attempting to qualify for the first Republican debate next month – was booed off the stage. The dinner served as yet another reminder of Trump’s hold over Republican voters, despite his loss in 2020, the party’s struggles in the 2022 midterms and the weighty criminal charges he faces.
Hosted by the Republican Party of Iowa, the event brought together 13 candidates for the nomination, from Trump to challengers such as DeSantis, senator Tim Scott and former governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina. Also appearing were former vice president Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and long shots such as media commentator Larry Elder, who, in keeping with the general theme of the evening, referred to himself as a “Trump clone.”
As the race takes shape five months before the crucial Iowa caucuses, Trump is surging ahead of a fractured field of rivals who are largely reluctant to criticize him, cowed by his fiercely loyal base. But Trump’s legal troubles could still provide an opening for one of his rivals.
At the dinner, only Hurd, a former CIA officer, dared to mention the charges, and he also contradicted Trump’s false assertion that he had won the 2020 election. “One of the things we need in our elected leaders is for them to tell the truth, even if it’s unpopular,” Hurd said. The vast majority did not agree. Boos rang out, and some attendees clattered their silverware.
If anyone is to stop Trump’s growing momentum, it may have to happen in Iowa. A recent survey by Fox Business showed him leading the field with 46% of the vote, followed by DeSantis at 16% and Scott at 11%.
Of the major Republican candidates, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie did not attend Friday’s GOP dinner. Christie has said he is not competing in Iowa, pinning his hopes on New Hampshire and South Carolina. nyt