Ron DeSantis calls for GOP to reject ‘culture of losing’ at Feenstra Family Picnic
Mabinty Quarshie
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SIOUX CENTER — Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) called for the Republican Party to reject a ‘culture of losing’ at the Feenstra Family Picnic hosted by Rep Randy Feenstra (R-IA).
“I think the hope is both Florida and Iowa show [that] strong leadership and a bold agenda can defeat the left in this country,” said DeSantis speaking at Dean Family Classic Car Museum on a cloudy Saturday afternoon. “But there’s no substitute for victory. We must reject the culture of losing that has infected our party in recent years.”
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“The time for excuses is over,” he added in a subtle dig at a looming factor hanging over the Florida governor.
The Feenstra event in Iowa comes as DeSantis mulls a presidential campaign to dethrone former President Donald Trump‘s hold over the GOP primary base and as DeSantis and Trump hold dueling events roughly 121 miles apart Saturday night. The former president is holding a traditional campaign rally in Des Moines while DeSantis speaks at a Republican Party Iowa fundraiser with Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann in Cedar Rapids.
Although DeSantis is not a candidate, he is widely expected to jump into the 2024 race sometime in mid-May. But he’ll face an uphill climb to the nomination. Trump has consistently led most polls among potential GOP primary voters by double digits, while DeSantis has regularly finished in second place. A National Research Inc. poll showed Trump receiving 42% support among GOP voters in Florida compared to the 34% who supported DeSantis. Voters also favored Trump as the candidate to best improve the economy at 46%, while only 18% said the same for the Florida governor.
Allies of DeSantis are eager for him to launch a presidential bid, with some already endorsing him in the primary. Ahead of DeSantis’s travels through Iowa, two high-profile Republicans endorsed him for president. Iowa Senate President Amy Sinclair and House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl gave DeSantis their blessings on Thursday, per the Des Moines Register.
Never Back Down, a DeSantis-supporting super PAC, then unveiled a slew of endorsements from 37 Iowa state Republicans, a crucial boost in a state that holds one of the first nominating races next year. Feenstra, the host of the event during DeSantis’s second trip to Iowa, has not yet endorsed any candidate.
Never Back Down has also been building out a team in Iowa and other early-voting states ahead of the governor launching his presidential campaign. The group already has placed roughly a half dozen staff in Iowa, according to the Associated Press, and had a setup table at the Saturday event.
Voters at the picnic told the Washington Examiner they remain undecided on a GOP nominee and are waiting to learn more about candidates before deciding.
“I have not even close made up my mind yet,” said Dennis Werkmeister, a 64-year-old business owner from Paullina, Iowa. But he did say that Republicans have “a good slate” of Republican candidates.
DeSantis received a standing twice during his speech — first when he arrived on stage and again when he spoke on the U.S. securing the southern border.
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While touting a prolific Florida legislative session, DeSantis made another sly dig at Trump. “And at the end of this day, governing is not about entertaining. Governing is not about building a brand or talking on social media and virtue signaling. It’s ultimately about winning and about producing results,” he said to applause.
When reporters asked DeSantis when he would launch his 2024 presidential bid, he replied simply: “Stay tuned.”