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Gov. Reynolds will interview these presidential hopefuls at the state fair. Trump isn’t on the list.
Reynolds had invited all 2024 GOP presidential contenders, including Trump
Gazette-Lee Des Moines Bureau
Jul. 25, 2023 12:45 pm, Updated: Jul. 26, 2023 7:43 am
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has become a key player in the Republican presidential race, released a list of 2024 presidential candidates who will join her for one-on-one interviews at next month's Iowa State Fair.
Notably absent is current GOP primary front-runner and former President Donald Trump, who has faced criticism for attacking Reynolds over her commitment to staying neutral in the leadoff caucus state.
Reynolds invited all 2024 GOP presidential hopefuls, including Trump, for a “fair-side” chat. The Republican governor has shrugged off pointed criticism from Trump, who in posts on his Truth Social social media platform blamed her for remaining neutral in the 2024 caucuses and claimed credit for her rise to the governor's office in 2018.
Other presidential candidates, well aware of Reynolds’ popularity with Iowa voters, rose to her defense. Those included Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, seen as the former president’s top primary rival, whose campaign criticized what it called Trump’s latest snub to Iowans.
The Iowa State Fair has been a must-stop for decades for presidential contenders of both political parties in the year ahead of the first-in-the-nation nominating contests.
“While Ron DeSantis is committed to putting in the work necessary to win Iowa and will be hitting the accelerator in the coming weeks, Donald Trump is proving he’s not up for the fight in the Hawkeye State,” DeSantis campaign spokeswoman Carly Atchison said in a statement.
Trump skipped a gathering of some 2,000 Christian conservatives earlier this month at the evangelical Family Leadership Summit in Des Moines.
It's the most recent example of Trump shrugging off prominent multicandidate campaign events in the leadoff caucus state for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, opting instead for visits on his own schedule. Trump also skipped Iowa Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst’s 2024 “Roast and Ride” GOP fundraiser in June.
Trump stopped in Cedar Rapids last week to record a town hall with Fox News’ Sean Hannity and visited a meeting of the Linn County GOP at an Elks Lodge. And Trump does plan to attend Friday’s Republican Party of Iowa's annual Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines.
A pair of recent polls of Iowa Republican voters shows Trump holds a commanding lead ahead of the 2024 caucuses, despite swirling legal battles and criticism for attacking Reynolds.
Reynolds will host “fair-side chats” with the likes of DeSantis, former U.S. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and former Vice President Mike Pence.
“I am so proud that I get to have the opportunity to introduce these candidates to Iowans at an event so near and dear to my heart,” Reynolds said in a statement. “The Iowa State Fair showcases the best of Iowa — from our people to our culture and wonderful agriculture industry — and it’s the perfect venue for a conversation with the candidates.”
The current full schedule is as follows:
Aug. 10:
- 10:30 a.m.: Conservative talk radio host and former California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder
Aug. 11:
- 8:30 a.m.: North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum
- 9:30 a.m.: Former Vice President Mike Pence
- 10:30 a.m.: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez
Aug. 12:
- 8:30 a.m.: Ohio biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy
- 9:30 a.m.: Former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley
- 10:30 a.m.: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
Aug. 15:
- 8:30 a.m.: Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson
- 9:30 a.m.: Texas pastor Ryan Binkley
- 10:30 a.m.: South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott
Aug. 18:
- 9:30 a.m.: Michigan businessman Perry Johnson
- 10:30 a.m.: Former Texas U.S. Rep. Will Hurd
Iowans can submit questions for candidates here: https://secure.winred.com/reynoldsgregg/fairsidechats
The interviews will take place at JR’s SouthPork Ranch.
More GOP presidential candidates added to Hinson’s BBQ Bash
More 2024 Republican presidential candidates have been added to the lineup for Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s Aug. 6 BBQ Bash at Hawkeye Downs Speedway & Expo Center in Cedar Rapids.
The lineup includes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Ohio biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, conservative talk radio host and former California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder and Michigan businessman Perry Johnson.
Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and Iowa Republican U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst also are set to join Hinson on stage.
Hinson invited all of the GOP presidential candidates to join her at her annual political fundraiser in the leadoff caucus state for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Tickets can be purchased at ashleyhinson.com/bbq.
Seven qualify for first GOP presidential primary debate
Seven Republican presidential candidates have qualified for the first presidential primary debate next month, though the final roster is still uncertain.
As of Tuesday, the list of those who have met the donor and polling thresholds for the Aug. 23 debate is:
- North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum
- Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis
- Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley
- Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy
- South Carolina U.S. Sen. Tim Scott
- Former President Donald Trump
Candidates must receive donations from at least 40,000 unique donors and receive more than 1 percent in three national polls — or two national polls and two early state polls — in order to qualify.
Candidates must meet the benchmarks at least 48 hours before the debate to qualify. Former Vice President Mike Pence and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson have both hit the polling threshold, but have not reached the donation threshold.
California talk show host Larry Elder, former Texas U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, Michigan Businessman Perry Johnson and Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, have reached neither qualifying threshold.
Trump, who holds a commanding lead over the field, has not committed to attending the debate and has suggested he may skip it.(https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/1st-republican-debate-trump-desantis-ramaswamy-qualify-pence/story?id=101323660)
The debate, the first of three scheduled Republican primary debates, will be held in Milwaukee on Aug. 23 and will air on Fox News.