Early campaigning in Iowa between DeSantis and Trump

celebrating 75 years in national news. The early campaigning on the ground in Iowa weather preventing that anticipated political split screen between Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. ABC's Alex Prussia is live in Des Moines. Overnight, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made an unplanned stop at a Des Moines barbecue joint. Our cameras were rolling as he and his wife shook hands and took pictures for over an hour, taking a victory lap after a day crisscrossing the state. Governor, what made you come here tonight? This restaurant is two miles from where former President Trump's rally was supposed to be before the campaign canceled, citing tornado warnings in the area Saturday afternoon. We've had a great day.

I mean, it's been great. DeSantis is a distant second to Trump and national polls of Republican voters in GOP leaning independence. But in Iowa, he's picked up more than three dozen endorsements from state lawmakers gaining ground in the crucial first caucus state. Overnight, former President Trump unveiled his own list of Iowa endorsements from each of the state's 99 counties. Ron DeSantis, wrong on tax hikes, just not ready. His campaign Friday, releasing this attack ad on his top competition, Trump for his part has promised to reschedule Saturday's canceled event. The Republican Iowa caucus is less than a year away.

But after this week, many Iowans told us it feels like the 2024 campaign is already in full swing. We really get bombarded in Iowa. We're on the front lines to see what's really out there and what they're offering us.

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