Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is among the top Republican presidential hopefuls for the 2024 election, and has confirmed his participation in the annual “Roast and Ride” event in Des Moines, Iowa, set to take place on June 3. The fundraising event for veteran charities is hosted by Iowa Senator Jodi Ernst and is expected to be the largest yet, featuring a total of eight special guests. The other confirmed participants so far include business tycoon and founder of Roivant Sciences, Vivek Ramaswamy, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, former Vice President Mike Pence, and businessman Perry Johnson.
Governor DeSantis’ participation at this event solidifies his intention to take on the challenge of running for president by campaigning in key states. DeSantis, who launched his presidential campaign officially last week, has already received endorsements from 37 of Iowa’s legislators.
The governor’s participation in this event exemplifies his commitment to supporting veterans who have served the nation. According to Des Moines CBS 2 Iowa, DeSantis noted that he and Senator Ernst were both military veterans, and as such, they understood the importance of supporting those who had served the country. The event is expected to be a massive boost for the Freedom Foundation of Cedar Rapids, the beneficiary of the event’s proceeds.
The participation of multiple presidential hopefuls further emphasizes the importance of Iowa in the upcoming presidential election. Historically, Iowa has been the first state to help determine who will make it to the final round of the presidential race. Notably, former President Trump won the state in 2016, and since then, Iowa has been seen as a key state in the Republican primary campaign.
According to a recent political poll from FiveThirtyEight, former President Trump is leading DeSantis by almost 34 percentage points (54.3%-20.7%), while the other scheduled participants in the event (such as Haley, Ramaswamy, Scott, and Hutchinson) are polling between 1-6%.
In summary, Governor Ron DeSantis’ participation in Iowa’s “Roast and Ride” fundraiser event is a testament to his commitment to running for president in the 2024 election. His presence at the event highlights the importance of Iowa as a key state in the presidential race and emphasizes the importance of supporting the nation’s veterans. The event is expected to be a huge success, with numerous presidential hopefuls and the proceeds benefiting a charity that supports America’s veterans.
