CLOSE UP, NIKKI HALEY RETURNS TO IOWA AS SHE CONTINUES HER PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN. OUR EXCLUSIVE ONE ON ONE INTERVIEW WITH THE REPUBLICAN HOPEFUL AND FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS. ALSO IN THE HAWKEYE STATE, WHAT THE REPUBLICAN SAYS ABOUT HIS EXPECTED RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. AND THEY’RE JUST THE LATEST REPUBLICAN TO CRISSCROSS OUR STATE. WE HEAR FROM FORMER GOP HEAD DAVID OMAN ABOUT HOW THIS FIELD OF CANDIDATES IS SHAPING UP. THIS IS IOWA NEWS-LEADER. THIS IS KCCI 8 NEWS CLOSER. GOOD MORNING. THANKS FOR JOINING US. WELCOME TO CLOSE-UP. I’M KCCI CHIEF POLITICAL REPORTER, AMANDA ROOKER AND I’M CHIEF INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER JAMES STRATTON. IT HAS BEEN A BUSY TIME OUT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN TRAIL RIGHT HERE IN IOWA. TOMORROW, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WILL BE IN EASTERN IOWA, IN DAVENPORT WARD. FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS HASN’T OFFICIALLY DECLARED YET, BUT TRAVEL TO DAVENPORT IN DES MOINES FRIDAY TO PROMOTE HIS NEW BOOK. AND REPUBLICAN HOPEFUL NIKKI HALEY SPENT THREE DAYS LAST WEEK CAMPAIGNING IN WESTERN AND IN CENTRAL IOWA. ONE OF THOSE STOPS WAS THURSDAY NIGHT IN NEVADA. THAT’S WHERE I SPOKE. ONE ON ONE WITH NIKKI HALEY ABOUT HER RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. WHEN IOWANS HEAR THE NAME NIKKI HALEY, WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I WANT THEM TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT I’M SOMEONE THAT LOVES AMERICA AND BELIEVES THAT THEY DESERVE BETTER. WHAT WE WANT THEM TO KNOW IS THE WAY THE COUNTRY IS NOW AND DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THE WAY IT’S GOING TO CONTINUE GOING FORWARD. WE NEED A NEW GENERATION. I’M AN ACCOUNTANT, NOT A LAWYER ON THE WIFE OF A MILITARY MAN WHO SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN. I’M THE DAUGHTER OF LEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN THEY CAME 50 YEARS AGO, OUR COUNTRY WAS STRONG AND PROUD. WE NEED TO GET BACK TO THAT. I’M A MOM OF TWO CHILDREN AND I WANT THEIR LIVES TO BE BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD. THAT’S WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO DO. AND I’M A PROBLEM SOLVER. I DID IT AS A TWO TERM GOVERNOR THAT TOOK OVER DOUBLE DIGIT UNEMPLOYMENT. I DID IT AGAIN AND TURNED IT INTO AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE. I DID IT AT THE U.N. WHEN I TOOK THE MISSION OFF OF OUR BACKS. I WANT TO DO IT FOR AMERICA. AND YOU TALK ABOUT BEING PART OF A NEW GENERATION, LOOKING AT KIND OF A POSTWAR ERA. A LOT OF VOTERS SEE YOU AS SOMEONE WHO’S PRAISED TRUMP, SOMEONE WHO’S ALSO CRITICIZED TRUMP AND THEY WONDER, ARE YOU A PART OF A NEW GENERATION AND ARE YOU PART OF A TRUMP ERA? WHAT WOULD YOU RESPOND TO THAT VOTER? YOU IT’S FUNNY. THE MEDIA THINKS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE 100% TRUMP OR 100% AGAINST TRUMP. HE IS MY FRIEND. I ENJOYED SERVING WITH HIM. WE GOT A LOT OF GOOD THINGS DONE ON FOREIGN POLICY, AND I THINK HE WAS THE RIGHT PRESIDENT AT THE RIGHT TIME. I DON’T AGREE WITH HIM ON 100% OF THINGS. I DON’T AGREE WITH MY HUSBAND ON 100% OF THINGS. SO WHEN HE DID SOMETHING GOOD, I PRAISED HIM. IF HE DOES SOMETHING WRONG, I SAY IT. I’M A TRUTH TELLER. SO I JUST CALL IT LIKE IT IS. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO LEAVE THE DRAMA AND THE STATUS QUO OF THE PAST. I THINK WE DON’T NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY THAT’S 80 YEARS OLD IN DC. I THINK WE NEED A YOUNGER GENERATION TO FIXING THAT STARTS WITH TERM LIMITS THAT START WITH MENTAL PERPLEXITIES FOR PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 75. IT STARTS WITH REALIZING THAT REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS HAVE GOTTEN US INTO THIS ECONOMIC SPIRALING OUT OF CONTROL AND SPENDING THAT WE NEED TO STOP. AND THAT COMES WITH A PROBLEM SOLVER AND THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO DO FOR AMERICA. ANOTHER THING YOU CALLED FOR TODAY WOULD BE CHANGING THE RETIREMENT AGE. WHAT AGE WOULD YOU LIKE TO SET THE RETIREMENT AGE AT? SO WHAT I SAID IS WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE ENTITLEMENT REFORM AND THE WAY WE ACKNOWLEDGE ENTITLEMENT REFORM IS JUST LIKE I TAKE CARE OF MY PARENTS. THEY’RE BOTH IN THEIR EIGHTIES. WE SHOULDN’T TOUCH SOCIAL SECURITY OR MEDICARE FOR SENIORS OR ANYONE THAT’S COMING UP ON RETIREMENT. MY KIDS ARE IN THEIR TWENTIES. THOSE ARE THE ONES WE NEED TO CHANGE THE AGE FOR. SO WE NEED TO START MAKING SURE THAT IT ACTUALLY RELATES TO LIFE EXPECTANCY. SEE, BACK IN 1935, YOU KNOW, LIFE EXPECTANCY WAS 65. THEY RAISED THE AGE OF 65. LIFE EXPECTANCY WAS 62. NOW IT’S 87 AND WE’VE STILL GOT IT AT 67. SO WHAT I’M SAYING, IT’S FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION COMING IN, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO AND EXTEND THE RETIREMENT AGE FOR THEM. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE LIMIT BENEFITS FOR THE WEALTHY. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT COST OF LIVING IS TIED TO INFLATION. AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE EXPAND MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS SO THAT PEOPLE HAVE MORE COMPETITION AND COST GO DOWN. WHEN YOU SAY EXPAND, IS 70, 75, 80, IS THERE A RANGE KIND OF THAT YOU’RE LOOKING FOR, HOW IT WOULD RELATE TO LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION? I THINK WHAT YOU WANT TO LOOK AT IS IT’S NOT SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT THE ACTUAL AGES AS THE PRINCIPLE OF IT. YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW SOCIAL SECURITY IS GOING TO GO BANKRUPT IN TEN YEARS. MEDICARE IS GOING TO GO BANKRUPT IN FIVE YEARS. OUR KIDS KNOW THEY’RE NOT GOING TO GET WHAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO GET. LET’S KEEP OUR PROMISES FOR ALL THE SENIORS AND EVERYONE THAT’S PUT IN FOR THE NEW GROUP COMING IN. LET’S CHANGE THE RULES. LET’S MAKE SURE WE COULD DO SOMETHING SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE SOMETHING AT THE END OF IT. NOW, YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE IN SOUTH CAROLINA THAT YOU KNOW WHAT, IT’S LIKE TO BE UNDERESTIMATED. YOU TALKED A LOT ABOUT YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA. HOW DOES THAT TRANSLATE TO A LARGER STAGE WHEN YOU’RE TRAVELING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES IN DIFFERENT STATES? I’VE HAD EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE. I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BALANCE A BUDGET. I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO KEEP SOUTH CAROLINIANS STATE. I KNOW WHAT IT MEANT TO CUT THE SPENDING AND CALL OUT REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS WHEN THEY DID THAT. I KNEW WHAT IT MEANT TO GET IMMIGRATION UNDER CONTROL AND PASS A MANDATORY E-VERIFY SYSTEM ACROSS SOUTH CAROLINA. I UNDERSTOOD EDUCATION AND SAID IF A CHILD CAN’T READ BY THIRD GRADE, WE CAN’T PASS THEM TO FOURTH GRADE. EVERYTHING I DID, WE WERE RESULTS ORIENTED. AND WHEN YOU’VE BEEN AN EXECUTIVE OF A STATE, YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO RUN SOMETHING. I’VE ALSO BEEN A U.N. AMBASSADOR. THAT DIDN’T DEAL WITH ONE COUNTRY. I DEALT WITH 193 COUNTRIES. AND SO WHEN YOU HAD THAT FOREIGN POLICY EXPERIENCE AND THE EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE, YOU GOT WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE SURE YOU CAN BE THE PROBLEM SOLVER FOR THE COUNTRY. OKAY. MY LAST QUESTION FOR YOU IS, I WAS KNOWN AS THE STATE THAT WINNOWS DOWN A FIELD OF CANDIDATES REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE THAT WE PLAY WHEN WE’RE LOOKING AT WHAT LOOKS TO BE A CROWDED 2024 FIELD. HOW DO YOU SET YOURSELF APART FROM OTHER CANDIDATES THAT MAY SAY THAT THEY ALSO WANT TO BE PART OF A NEW GENERATION? OR ARE THEY ALSO WANT TO PROVIDE A NEW PATH FORWARD? HOW DO YOU CONVINCE IOWANS THAT YOU ARE THE ALTERNATE THEY SHOULD PICK? WELL, FIRST, LOOK AT THE FACT THAT I WAS A TWO TERM GOVERNOR THAT TURNED HER STATE INTO AN ECONOMIC POWERHOUSE. I ALSO HAVE THE FOREIGN POLICY EXPERIENCE FROM BEING AT THE U.N. AND BEING TOUGH WITH OUR ADVERSARIES. SO NO ONE ELSE HAS THAT EXPERIENCE. BUT MORE THAN THAT, I GOT IN AND DECISIVE. I DIDN’T HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE WHO ELSE WAS GOING TO GET IN. I DIDN’T HAVE TO WAIT AND AND WORRY ABOUT OTHER THINGS AND BE SCARED OF PEOPLE. I GOT IN BECAUSE I KNOW WHY I’M DOING THIS. I WANT AMERICA TO BE STRONG AND PROUD. I WANT TO GET US TO A COUNTRY THAT’S NOT DYING AND SOCIALISM OR DEFEATISM. AND I WANT OUR KIDS TO BE PROUD OF WHERE THEY LIVE. AND NO ONE WILL OUTWORK ME. I WAS IN COUNCIL BLUFFS LAST NIGHT. WE’RE IN NEVADA TODAY. YOU KNOW, WE’RE GOING TO BE IN DES MOINES TOMORROW AND WE’RE GOING TO KEEP COMING BACK AND THAT’S WHAT IT’S GOING TO TAKE. AND NO ONE WILL OUTWORK ME NO MORE OUTSMART ME. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WILL MAKE EVERYBODY IN IOWA VERY PROUD, MAKING TWO TRIPS ALREADY IN IOWA. NIKKI HALEY. STILL TO COME, FORMER REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR DAVID OMAN ON HIS VIEW OF THE RACE SO FAR AND WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE MONTHS FROM NOW. BUT FIRST, HE HAS NOT OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED A RUN FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. BUT WHAT FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS SAID DURING HIS TRIP TO IOWA ABOUT THROWING HIS HAT IN THE RING. WELCOME BACK TO CLOSE UP. FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS HAS NOT OFFICIALLY ENTERED THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT, BUT HE WASN’T IOWA. ON FRIDAY, BOLTON DAVENPORT AND DES MOINES TOUTING HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS WHILE GOVERNOR AND PRAISING GOVERNOR TIM REYNOLDS PERFORMANCE HERE IN IOWA. HERE’S A BIT OF HIS SPEECH IN DAVENPORT FRIDAY MORNING. WE’VE LED THE NATION IN NET IN-MIGRATION FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND WE’VE HAD MORE WEALTH MOVING TO FLORIDA OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND AS EVER, MOVED INTO A SINGLE STATE IN ALL OF AMERICAN HISTORY OVER A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD. AND THAT IS A RESULT OF LEADERSHIP. IT’S A RESULT OF VISION. IT’S A RESULT OF STANDING UP FOR WHAT’S RIGHT AS TIM MENTIONED, IN 2018. I RAN IN A STATE THAT FOR A DECADE HAD BEEN A 1% STATE. GOVERNORS RACES, PRESIDENT RACES. IT WAS A SQUEAKER. YOU JUST HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET OVER THE HUMP. SO WE GET IN BY 32,000 VOTES OUT OF OVER 8 MILLION VOTES CAST. WE HAD A HALF A PERCENTAGE POINT MARGIN. AND THE ADVICE I WAS GETTING AT THE TIME WAS, OKAY, IT’S A DIVIDED STATE, VERY CLOSE ELECTION. TRIM YOUR SAILS. DON’T ROCK THE BOAT. YOU KNOW, JUST GET IN THERE AND KIND OF KIND OF BE A LITTLE PASSIVE. AND I REJECTED THAT ADVICE. MY VIEW WAS. MY VIEW WAS I MAY HAVE RECEIVED 50% OF THE VOTE, BUT I EARNED 100% OF THE EXECUTIVE POWER. AND I INTEND TO USE THAT TO BE ABLE TO ADVANCE THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE PEOPLE OF FLORIDA AND TO FULFILL MY CAMPAIGN PROMISE, BECAUSE, AS ALEXANDER HAMILTON SAID, ENERGY AND THE EXECUTIVE IS THE LEADING CHARACTERISTIC OF GOOD GOVERNMENT. SO WE WERE MINDFUL OF THAT. I ALSO MADE A DECISION I AM NOT DOING POLL NEWS TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO. AND SO I’VE NOT LOOKED AT A SINGLE POLL SINCE I’VE BEEN GOVERNOR. AND THE REASON IS, FIRST OF ALL, I CAN POLL THIS ROOM, GET A RESULT, CHANGE THE WORDING OF THE QUESTION, AND I WOULD GET A DIFFERENT RESULT. SO A LOT OF TIMES, YES. QUESTION. BUT SECOND OF ALL, THE STATIC ANALYSIS OF OPINION IS NOT WHAT A LEADER SHOULD CARE ABOUT, WHAT A LEADER WILL DO IS NOT BE CAPTIVE TO POLLS, BUT TO SET A VISION AND SHIFT PUBLIC OPINION AND GET PEOPLE TO SUPPORT WHAT YOU’RE DOING. AND THAT’S THAT WAS OUR APPROACH IN FLORIDA. WE ALSO UNDERSTOOD THAT I COULD BE THE BEST DECISION MAKER AS AN EXECUTIVE IN THE WORLD. BUT IF I DON’T HAVE PEOPLE IN THE ADMINISTRATION WHO BELIEVE IN THE VISION AND ARE GOING TO PUT THE PEOPLE’S BUSINESS BEFORE THEIR OWN, THEN NONE OF THIS STUFF ENDS UP GETTING DONE. SO WE MADE VERY CLEAR PEOPLE WORKING IN THE ADMINISTRATION, YOU KNOW, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE LEAKING, YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE DOING THIS AS IF YOU HAVE ANY OTHER AGENDA, BUT DOING THE BUSINESS OF THE PEOPLE. FLORIDA. PACK YOUR BAGS RIGHT NOW. AND WE DID THAT. AND THE ONE THING I COULD SAY, IF YOU TALK TO FLORIDA AND THERE’S NO DRAMA IN OUR ADMINISTRATION, THERE’S NO PALACE INTRIGUE. THEY BASICALLY JUST SIT BACK AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT’S THE GOVERNOR GOING TO DO NEXT? AND WE ROLL OUT AND WE EXECUTE AND WE DO DO THINGS AND WE GET THINGS DONE. AND IN THE PROCESS, WE BEAT THE LEFT DAY AFTER DAY, WEEK AFTER WEEK, MONTH AFTER MONTH, YEAR AFTER YEAR. AND I THINK PART OF WHAT THAT WAS, WE SAID WE’RE GOING TO BE ON OFFENSE ON ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS. I THINK SOME OF THESE REPUBLICANS, THEY JUST KIND OF SIT BACK, THEY LET THE LEFT DEFINE THE TERMS OF THE DEBATE. THEY LET THE MEDIA DEFINE THE TERMS OF THE DEBATE, AND THEN THEY END UP JUST SITTING THERE DEFENSE SIEVE. AND IT’S LIKE TRYING TO WORK YOUR WAY OUT OF A WET PAPER BAG. WE WEREN’T DOING THAT. AND HERE’S THE THING. A LOT OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, THEY DON’T WANT TO HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS WHY EVERY DECISION YOU MAKE, SOME PEOPLE WILL LIKE AND SOME PEOPLE WON’T. THAT’S JUST THE NATURE OF IT. SO IF YOU CAN WAIT FOR THESE THINGS TO BUBBLE UP BEFORE YOU GET INVOLVED, THEN MAYBE YOU DON’T YOU DON’T UPSET AS MANY PEOPLE. BUT YOU KNOW, THAT’S NOT LEADERSHIP. SO WE SAID WE ARE GOING TO GO ON OFFENSE. I’M GOING TO FIND ISSUES. I’M NOT JUST GOING TO SIT BACK AND WAIT IT FOR COME TO ME. AND I SAT AT MY DESK THE FIRST DAY AS GOVERNOR. I LOOKED AROUND THE OFFICE AND I SAID, YOU KNOW, I DON’T KNOW WHAT S.O.B. IS GOING TO SUCCEED ME IN THIS OFFICE, BUT I CAN TELL YOU I’LL TELL YOU THIS. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE VERY MUCH TO DO BECAUSE I’M TAKEN ALL THE MEAT OFF THE BONE THERE IS AND I’M GOING TO GET ALL THIS DONE. AND THE RESULT WAS, HAVING SAID, WE’RE GOING TO PUT LEAD BY CONVICTION. WE’RE NOT GOING TO FOLLOW POLLS. WE’RE NOT GOING TO LET THE MEDIA DEFINE THE TERMS OF THE DEBATE. WE WENT FROM WINNING BY 32,000 VOTES IN 2018 TO WINNING BY OVER 1.5 MILLION VOTES IN 2022. WE HAD THE LARGEST, HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF THE VOTE THAT ANY REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR CANDIDATE HAS EVER RECEIVED IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA. OUR MARGIN OF VICTORY OF 1.5 MILLION WAS ALMOST TWICE THE PREVIOUS RECORD IN A GOVERNOR’S RACE. WE WON 62% OF THE HISPANIC VOTE IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AND WE DID THAT NOT BY APPEALING BASED ON ETHNIC, BUT BY TREATING EVERYBODY AS AMERICAN KIDS WHO SHARE THE SAME VALUES. THAT’S HOW YOU WIN. I MEAN, PART OF IT, TIM MENTIONED SHE HAD TO MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS IN IOWA THAT WERE THE RIGHT DECISION, BUT THEY WERE UNIVERSALLY CONDEMNED BY THE LEFT, BY THELEGACY MEDIA AND BY ENTRENCHED BUREAUCRATS LIKE FAUCI WHEN IT CAME TO COVID. AND I’M JUST PROUD TO SAY THAT WHEN DURING COVID, THE WORLD LOST ITS MIND WHEN COMMON SENSE SUDDENLY BECAME AN UNCOMMON VIRTUE. THE STATE OF FLORIDA STOOD AS A REFUGE OF SANITY. WE WERE A CITADEL OF FREEDOM FOR PEOPLE ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY AND EVEN AROUND THE WORLD THAT WOULD COME. WE REFUSED TO LET OUR STATE DESCEND INTO SOME TYPE OF FALLACY AND DESTROY POPIA WHERE PEOPLE’S LIVELIHOOD WERE DESTROYED AND THEIR FREEDOMS WERE CURTAILED. NO. WE CHOSE FREEDOM OVER FASCISM, JUST LIKE IOWA. AND WE WERE RIGHT. AND THEY WERE WRONG. I THINK ONE OF THE REASONS KIM AND MYSELF AND SOME OTHER GOVERNORS GOT A LOT OF HEAT WAS BECAUSE PEOPLE LIKE FELT SHE DID NOT WANT A CONTROL GROUP. THEY WERE SAYING LOCKDOWN, INDEFINITE. THEY WERE SAYING FORCE THAT ALL THESE BAD THINGS. AND IF YOU HAVE IOWA AND FLORIDA DOING A DIFFERENT DIRECT WAY, THEN PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AND THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO EVALUATE HOW DID THAT WORK OUT. AND SO WE KNOW NOW TODAY THE ELITES WERE WRONG ABOUT LOCKDOWN, THEY WERE WRONG ABOUT FORCED MASKING, THEY WERE WRONG ABOUT CLOSING SCHOOLS. THEY WERE WRONG ABOUT DENYING NATURAL IMMUNITY. THEY WERE WRONG ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF RNA SHOTS. AND THEY WERE WRONG. AND INDEED, THEY LIED ABOUT THE LAB LEAK. THEY SAID IT WAS NATURAL. WE KNOW IT CAME FROM THAT LABS. AND I THINK WE NEED SOME ACCOUNTABILITY HERE. FAUCI NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. ALL THESE AGENCIES, THE CCP. BUT HERE’S THE THING. EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE WRONG ABOUT ALL THAT, EVEN WHEN THE DATA WAS COMING IN SHOWING THEY WERE WRONG, THEY DOUBLED DOWN ON A LOT OF THESE POLICIES. THEY BECAME MORE COERCIVE ABOUT THE VACCINE AFTER YOU HAD THE DELTA WAVE WHEN IT WAS CLEAR THE VACCINE WASN’T WORKING TO STOP THE SPREAD. WHEN THEY SAID IF YOU TAKE IT, YOU WON’T GET COVID. AND SO I’M PROUD TO SAY FLORIDA, WE STOOD AS A ROADBLOCK TO WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO DO. WE VERY EARLY ON BANNED ANY COVID SHOT MANDATES FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. WE BANNED VACCINE PASSPORTS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. AND WE ACTUALLY CALLED THE SPECIAL SESSION TO PROTECT OUR WORKERS BECAUSE NOBODY SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN A JOB THEY NEED AND A SHOT. THEY DON’T WANT. STILL TO COME ON CLOSE UP, WHAT DO IOWA VOTERS THINK OF THE CURRENT FIELD OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES? THE RESULTS OF A NEW POLL COMING UP. AND WE’LL HEAR FROM FORMER IOWA REPUBLICAN PARTY CHAIR DAVID ULLMAN FOR HIS TAKE ON THE GOP FIELD OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES. WE’RE HERE IN. NEW YEAH, IT’S ME. AND THEN, OH, SO WE HIT THIS POLL, DAVID, AND THEN I’LL COME IN. ALL RIGHT. IN YOUR SECOND, THE FIVE FOR ME. MAYBE 1 TO 3. FOUR OR FIVE. WITH MORE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES VISITING IOWA, WHICH ONES HAVE THE EARLY SUPPORT OF IOWA REPUBLICAN VOTERS? THE DES MOINES REGISTER MEDIA COM IOWA POLL RELEASED FRIDAY. THAT POLL ASKED IOWANS OPINIONS OF FOUR CANDIDATES. FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, FORMER FLORIDA, FLORIDA CURRENT GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS, WHO YOU JUST HEARD FROM, FORMER U.N. AMBASSADOR NIKKI HALEY AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE. IT ALSO SHOWED 80% OF RESPONDENTS HAVE A FAVORABLE OR VERY FAVORABLE VIEW OF TRUMP. COMPARE THAT NUMBER TO 74% FOR THE SANTAS, 66% FOR PENCE, AND 53% FOR HALEY. THOSE FOUR CANDIDATES, EVEN THOUGH SOME HAVE NOT OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED OR THE ONLY ONES THE VOTERS WERE ASKED ABOUT. THE POLL ALSO SHOWED 18% HAVE AN UNFAVORABLE VIEW OF TRUMP, COMPARED TO 26% FOR PENCE. EIGHT FOR HALEY AND SIX FOR TWO SANTAS. BUT WHILE THE POLL SHOWED TRUMP FAVORED THE MOST AMONG THE CANDIDATES, THERE ARE SIGNS THAT HIS SUPPORT MAY BE WEAKENING. WHEN ASKED IF THEY WOULD VOTE FOR TRUMP IF HE BECAME THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE, 47% OF RESPONDENTS SAID DEFINITELY YES. THAT’S DOWN FROM 69% BACK IN JUNE. AND WE’RE JOINED NOW BY FORMER IOWA GOP CHAIR DAVID ALLEMAN TO GIVE US THE INSIDE LOOK AT WHAT THIS POLL MEANS AND WHAT THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT LOOKS LIKE SO FAR. IT ALREADY FEELS LIKE WE’RE DRINKING FROM A FIRE HOSE. WHAT WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL REACTION TO THOSE POLLING NUMBERS? WE ARE TAPING THIS ON FRIDAY. FULL DISCLOSURE OUT, YOU KNOW, JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS SINCE THAT POLL WAS OUT. WHAT’S YOUR REACTION? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE IOWA POLL HISTORICALLY HAS BEEN REALLY GOOD. SO I BELIEVE THE NUMBERS, LOOK, IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT DONALD TRUMP STILL HAS A GOOD BASE OF SUPPORT AMONG IOWA REPUBLICANS. THE NEWS IN THIS IS THAT IT’S DROPPING, DROPPING, DROPPING. SO THAT COULD BE WORRISOME. AND THESE OTHERS ARE JUST BECOMING BEGINNING TO BECOME KNOWN TO PEOPLE. I THINK IF MORE PEOPLE WATCH THE CLIPS THAT YOU JUST SHOWED A COUPLE OF MINUTES AGO AND THEY WILL OR THEY’LL SEE THOSE PEOPLE IN PERSON OVER THE NEXT WEEKS, MONTHS, THOSE NUMBERS WILL GO UP. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WHAT WORKS IN TRUMP’S FAVOR IS IF THE FIELD IS SMALL. I ALSO THINK WE SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THAT REPUBLICANS MORE THAN EVER ARE CONCERNED ABOUT WINNING IN 2022. SO THEY WANT TO WE THE PARTY NEEDS TO NOMINATE A CANDIDATE WHO HAS FAVORABLE RATINGS AMONG REPUBLICANS AND SEVERAL OF THEM. THEY ALL DO. WE NEED TO HAVE A CANDIDATE WHO HAS MODESTLY OR GOOD FAVORABLE RATINGS AMONG INDEPENDENTS AS WELL. AND WE SAW THE TRUMP NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY TO WHAT THEY ARE NOW WANING A LITTLE BIT. MEANTIME, YOU KNOW, RHONDA SANTOS HAS COMPARABLE NUMBERS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, VERY FAVORABLE OR SOMEWHAT FAVORABLE. IS IT A SWITCH IN THE PARTY HERE? IS THERE A SWITCH OR ARE WE, YOU KNOW, GRADUAL GAINING FROM ONE GUY TO THE OTHER? IF THAT’S HAPPENING? WELL, KEEP IN MIND, THESE OTHER CANDIDATES, NIKKI HALEY, GOVERNOR DESANTIS, MIKE POMPEO, MIKE MIKE PENCE, GOVERNOR HUTCHISON, AND MAYBE ONE OR TWO MORE REALLY HAVEN’T BEEN OUT HERE VERY MUCH. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WATCHING DONALD TRUMP FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, SINCE 2015. HE’S BEEN AROUND FOR NINE YEARS AND HE’S ASKING FOR SOME MORE. I DON’T THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE UNDECIDED ABOUT DONALD TRUMP BY NOW. THEY LIKE HIM OR THEY DON’T. IDEALLY, WE’LL HAVE A A FIELD WHERE PEOPLE GET TO KNOW THEM. IF THE ONES WE SAW IN THOSE CLIPS ARE YOUNG, ARTICULATE, ENERGETIC, GOOD POLICY IDEAS, MORE WILL BE COMING. I THINK IOWANS WILL GET TO KNOW THAT MAYBE WE HAVE A CHOICE AMONG SEVERAL REPUBLICANS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A FAVORABLE VIEW OF. YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF THEM THAT AREN’T IN THAT POLL. WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU’RE THE ASA? HUTCHINSON’S THE TIM SCOTT’S THE MIKE POMPEO’S OF THE WORLD. WITH THIS POLL OUT RIGHT NOW, WELL, THERE’S FIRST MOVER ADVANTAGE. I GIVE THAT TO GOVERNOR AMBASSADOR HALEY. SHE JUMPED IN. SHE DIDN’T WAIT AROUND. GOVERNOR SANDERS HASN’T ANNOUNCED, BUT I THINK IT’S PRETTY CLEAR WE KNOW WHAT HE’S GOING TO DO. I THINK THE OTHERS ARE STILL TRYING TO ASSEMBLE A CAMPAIGN. MAYBE A RAISE SOME MONEY, FIGURE OUT IF THERE’S A SLOT FOR THEM. THE SOONER THE BETTER. THE WAY YOU WIN IOWA IS TO COME HERE. THERE’S NO EASY WAY. YOU CAN’T BUY OUR VOTES. WE’RE A LITTLE HARD TO PLEASE SOMETIMES. I ALWAYS USED TO JOKE. GO SEE EVERYBODY AND MAYBE SEE THEM TWICE. AND IOWANS TAKE THAT ROLE REALLY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE WE ARE FIRST IN THE NATION. WE’RE GOOD FOR THE NATION BECAUSE WE VET THESE CANDIDATES SO THOROUGHLY. IN 2012 AND 2016 AND 2020, I FEEL LIKE EVERY GOP CAUCUS CYCLE OR ANY CAUCUS CYCLE HAS A THEME. 2012 WOULD HAVE BEEN RICK SANTORUM. I CALL IT AN UPSET. CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT. GROUND AND GROUND POLITICS FOR HIM, 2016 WAS A LOT OF CANDIDATES. WHAT IS THE THEME OF 2024? WELL, THOSE ARE GOOD. OR IS IT TOO EARLY TO TELL? WELL, YOU COULD ARGUE IT’S REALLY EARLY TO TELL. IT’S NOT EVEN 24. BUT I. I SENSE THIS AMONG THE REPUBLICAN FAMILY, RURAL, URBAN, CONSERVATIVE, CENTER, RIGHT, WHATEVER. WE WANT TO WIN. WE’RE TIRED OF THE STATUS QUO. WE’RE TIRED OF BORDER INSECURITY, OF WEAKNESS ON THE INTERNATIONAL GLOBAL FRONT. INFLATION IS KILLING PEOPLE. IT’S TIME TO GET A REPUBLICAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE WHO CAN WIN. AND I THINK PEOPLE, VOTERS, CAUCUS GOERS WILL PUT A PREMIUM ON THAT. DO YOU THINK IT’S BECAUSE OF THAT? WE SEE FEWER CANDIDATES HERE IN IOWA? I’M GLAD I DON’T LOOK, DONALD TRUMP’S BEST DAY IS IF HE’S IN A FIELD OF 17 PEOPLE LIKE LIKE HAPPENED IN 2015, 16. WE HAD CARLY FOR FIORINA. BLESS HER HEART. AND AND 16 MALES RUNNING. AND DONALD TRUMP WAS ABLE TO DOMINATE THAT FIELD. IT’S A WHOLE DIFFERENT DYNAMIC. JAMES, IF THIS RACE IS FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE, IN MY VIEW AND KEEP IN MIND, OUR JOB ISN’T TO NOMINATE THE PERSON. WE’RE NOT THAT FORTUNATE. WE’RE PRETTY SPOILED. BUT OUR JOB IS TO CULL THE FIELD. NEW HAMPSHIRE MAYBE WILL KNOCK A COUPLE MORE OUT, BUT BY THE TIME THEY GET TO SOUTH CAROLINA OR BEYOND, IT MAY BE MANO A MANO OR MANO AGAINST AMBASSADOR HALEY. AND THEN THAT’S A REALLY INTERESTING DYNAMIC. AND OUR JOB IS TO TELL THE STORIES AS WE WINNOW THOSE CANDIDATES. AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR INSIGHT HERE ON CLOSE TO A LOT OF STORIES TO TELL. I’M SURE IT’S NOT GOING TO BE THE LAST TIME WE TALK UNTIL PRESIDENTIAL CAUCUS IN FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR. THANKS FOR BEING HERE. YOU’RE WELCOME. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. WELL, ANOTHER TOP REPUBLICAN IS MAKING A TRIP TO IOWA. FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WILL BE BACK HERE IN THE HAWKEYE STATE TOMORROW. AND WE’VE ALSO LEARNED FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE WILL BE IN IOWA NEXT WEEK AS WELL, HOLDING AN EVENT COMING SATURDAY IN DES MOINES. A LOT OF PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TO COVER FOR US AND FOR YOU TO WATCH ON TV IN THE NEXT WEEK. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR THIS SUNDAY’