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Trump holding Des Moines rally as caucus campaign ramps up
Campaign announces Water Works Park rally on evening of May 13
Caleb McCullough, Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau
May. 1, 2023 2:26 pm
DES MOINES — Former President Donald Trump will rally supporters May 13 at the Lauridsen Amphitheater at Water Works Park in Des Moines, his second visit to Iowa since announcing his 2024 campaign for the White House.
Trump’s last visit the state was in March, where he took shots during a stop in Davenport at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, another likely candidate in the Republican contest, who will be in Iowa the same day.
Doors at Trump’s rally in the park open at 2 p.m. and he is scheduled to speak at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at donaldjtrump.com/events.
Since his last visit to Iowa, Trump was indicted and pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges related to hush money he allegedly paid to an adult film actress in 2016.
DeSantis has not announced his candidacy yet, but has been holding rallies and hiring staff in early states, the early hallmarks of a campaign. The Florida governor will be in Iowa the same day as Trump, headlining U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra’s annual fundraiser and later speaking at a party fundraiser in Cedar Rapids, according to the Associated Press.
Trump regularly leads 2024 Republican presidential primary polls, with DeSantis often taking second place.
Iowa will hold the first-in-the-nation 2024 caucuses on the Republican side, marking the first stop on the road to the presidential nomination and drawing White House hopefuls to rally and interface with party voters.
Democratic President Joe Biden announced his 2024 campaign last week, virtually securing his nomination as the party’s candidate.
Among other announced and likely Republican candidates are former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former Vice President Mike Pence, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.