Vivek Ramaswamy to complete 99-county tour of Iowa

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will visit his last of Iowa's 99 counties this week with a campaign stop in Franklin County, his campaign announced.

Ramaswamy will hold his 99th county event at 3 p.m. Wednesday at 7 Stars Family Restaurant in Hampton, finishing up his first 99-county tour.

The Ohio biotech entrepreneur has said he will have completed the "full Grassley" 99-county tour twice over before the Jan. 15 caucuses.

The candidate has been on a fast-paced rural campaign tour over the last several weeks, often holding five or more events in a day at local restaurants and community centers.

"Some candidates boast about doing the 'Full Grassley' -- visiting all 99 counties in Iowa," Ramaswamy said on social media this month. "Proud to announce I’ll be the first presidential candidate in history to do all 99 counties *twice over* in less than a year. We’ll hit it by first week of January."

As he has already visited many counties multiple times, by Jan. 2, Ramaswamy's campaign said he will have visited each county twice after a Jackson County stop. The campaign said it will hold a rally to celebrate the feat Jan. 2 in Scott County.

Despite the aggressive campaign schedule, Ramaswamy has struggled to increase his support among likely Republican caucusgoers, according to recent polling. Ramaswamy received 5 percent of support in the December Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll.

Nikki Haley super PAC swipes at Ron DeSantis

A new ad from a group backing former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for president calls Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign a "dumpster fire."

The 30-second spot from SFA Fund Inc. consists of one continuous shot of a dumpster full of burning trash, accompanied by audio of TV news clips criticizing DeSantis' campaign efforts, including a headline categorizing his campaign as a "dumpster fire."

The ad, which began running in Iowa on Tuesday, is the latest in a string of anti-DeSantis ads the super PAC has released ahead of the Jan. 15 caucuses.

DeSantis criticized Haley this week for spending money against him rather than Trump, suggesting she is angling to become Trump's vice presidential pick.

"As illustrated on our new microsite at TrumpNikki2024.com, Nikki Haley is so committed to her VP ambitions that she refuses to spend a dime attacking Donald Trump, despite MAGA Inc.'s new ad accurately blasting her for being a tax-hiking liberal,” DeSantis spokesperson Bryan Griffin said in a statement Tuesday.

Biofuels group says Ron DeSantis checks all boxes for ethanol producers

A prominent coalition pushing the advancement of Iowa biofuels says Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is the only 2024 presidential candidate to “check All the Boxes on vital agriculture, biofuel issues.”

“Of the presidential candidates currently campaigning in Iowa for the Republican nomination, Gov. Ron DeSantis is the only candidate to date that has taken a positive position on all eight topics vital to the future of Iowa farmers and biofuels producers,” according to Biofuels Vision 2024, a coalition of Iowa organizations that includes representatives from the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and the Iowa Corn and Soybean associations.

The group tracks candidates’ stances on eight issues vital to the future of biofuels and the Iowa economy, but does not endorse or rank candidates.

All Republican presidential candidates campaigning in Iowa support a growing role for biofuels and finalizing a rule that would allow the year-round sale of E15 — gasoline blended with 15 percent ethanol — while opposing laws and regulations that directly or indirectly mandate electric vehicle purchases, according to the coalition.

However, DeSantis is the only candidate who also supports adopting a methodology favored by the ethanol industry in guidance to companies looking to claim tax credits for sustainable aviation fuel, according to Biofuels Vision 2024. DeSantis also supports preserving existing biofuels tax credits, unlocking higher ethanol blends and reauthorizing energy title programs in a new farm bill to expand the production and use of agriculture-based renewable energy.

More information can be found at biofuelsvision.com.

Former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential front-runner, has repeatedly taken swipes at DeSantis as a “raging opponent” of ethanol.

In Congress, DeSantis co-sponsored legislation that would have eliminated the federal Renewable Fuel Standard, which encourages ethanol and biodiesel production by requiring a certain amount of biofuels be blended in the nation’s fuel supply.

Earlier this year, DeSantis announced an energy plan that lacked mention or details about renewable fuels and the federal mandate.

DeSantis later wrote an op-ed published in the Des Moines Register pledging to “support giving drivers additional low-cost options at the pump, including higher ethanol blends such as E30 and higher octane options.”

Trump has touted that his administration finalized a rule, later thrown out by a federal appeals court, allowing for year-round access to E15.

“Unlike 'DeSanctus,' I will be your ethanol champion,” Trump said during a campaign event last week in Coralville.

Nikki Haley announces Quad Cities endorsers

Ahead of a visit to Davenport on Wednesday, GOP presidential hopeful Nikki Haley announced a slate of new Quad Cities area endorsers.

The endorsements from former and current government officials include:

• Jack Rife, former Iowa Senate minority leader and state lawmaker from Muscatine from 1985 to 2001.

• Former state Rep. Linda Miller, R-Bettendorf, who served in the Legislature from 2007 to 2017.

• Jean Dickson, Scott County Board of Supervisors, elected 2022.