On Monday, voters in Iowa will be the first in the country to cast a vote for who they think should be the Republican nominee for the twenty twenty four presidential elections. It's a big moment for the country in what could be the most consequential election cycle in decades. So far, we've only gotten a sense of what voters want from polls, but on Monday, we'll finally see what they want from their ballots, at least in one state.
Here's what polls have told us so far. A recent one of likely Iowa caucus attendees has former President Donald Trump leading the GOP race with fifty one percent. That's according to a joint poll from the Des Moines Register, NBC News, and Mediacom. But there's one major figure in the state's Republican leadership who has come out loudly in support of someone else.
We need someone who won't get distracted but will stay disciplined, who puts this country first and not himself. That leader. That leader. That leader is Ron DeSantis.
That's Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds speaking back in November when she announced her support for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Compared to Trump's fifty one percent, DeSantis is polling at nineteen. Today on the show, I'm joined by Governor Kim Reynolds. We taped just days before the Iowa caucuses. We talked about why Ron DeSantis has her vote and if she thinks the rest of the state will vote with her.
Plus we've got the exclusive on what she'll do if Trump, who she's been very critical of, becomes the party's nominee. From Bloomberg's Washington Bureau. This is big take DC. I'm your host, Seleiah Mosen. Governor Reynolds, thank you so much for agreeing to come on the show.
Yes, I'm happy to do it. Thanks for the opportunity. I appreciate it.
Honestly, I wish that we had enough time to debate whether your state, Iowa or my state Ohio really jes as the president. I'm a Cincinnati girl, so there you go.
Honestly, Iowa's role is not to necessarily choose the president. Our role is to narrow the field.
Governor Reynolds, you have picked your candidate, and in just a few days, Iowa Republicans are going to choose theirs. Ron DeSantis started this campaign strong in the polls in your state, and now he's down. I'd love to hear from you, what do you think DeSantis needs to do in the next couple of days to come out of Iowa with the bounce that you're hoping for.
First of all, it's not going to be the polls or the media that's going to dictate to Iowan's who the winner of the Iowa caucuses. It's really going to be the individual that's put the boots on the ground, that's traveled the state, that's got in front of Iowan's gave them an opportunity to talk about the vision that they have for getting this country back on track, but most importantly, to stand there and answer question after question
after question. And I've traveled with him, and I've watched him do that, and I've seen the result after he's finished, when we leave a room. There's been just so many people that have come up and said, I wasn't sure. I hadn't made my mind up yet, I'm in. They'll sign a caucus card. You've convinced me. I've seen him flip. So I think first of all, he just needs to highlight his record. He has a phenomenal record to run on. It's not what if this is what I'll do, it
is I've done it. I often tell Iowa's if you like what we've done here in Iowa, you're gonna love what Ron DeSantis will do for this country. We need a candidate that can win, and I think he's the candidate.
I do want to ask you one question that's on the mind of a lot of people coming from.
Out of Iowa.
Is this a race for a second against Nikki Haley?
No, No, I don't necessarily think so. This is not a national election. It's a caucus. It's on the ground. It's totally different than a primary. We're going to have some now weather on the fifteenth, and so we have to have people fired up, willing to go to the caucus way in for their candidate. I mean, there's a lot of variables that play into that. So it's who's got the energy. That's why I think Ron's breaking at the right time. I think people are showing up. He
has the momentum. I think Nicky's had a lot of gaffs in the last several days. Here's the other thing that I think people need to know. Recognize that he's still moving his likability is still increasing, and he's had over forty million dollars of negative ads against him. But be quite honest, Nikkiy has hardly had a finger laid on her, and when she starts to come under scrutiny,
I think she's demonstrated doesn't always do very well. And so you know, listen, this guy has been tested during COVID. Both of us very similar in how we responded to it, and we've got a lot of horrific media and pushback, and so I like somebody that's been tested, that has a spine of steal and not afraid to make the tough decisions.
You and Governor Chris Sinuou of New Hampshire, you were two key Republican governors who are vocal about backing a candidate other than the ex president, Governor Reynolds. Do you think that more of your fellow GOP governors are going to join you both in an alternate candidate as the primaries unfold.
Well, I think you've seen some. I mean other governors have also weighed in, and that's an independent choice. I mean they'll have to make their own choice in regards to that. But I didn't take it lightly I take the verse in the Nation Caucus very seriously. I wanted to make sure that I welcomed all of our candidates to the state of Iowa. Wanted to make sure that I provided them a platform to share their message and vision and to help introduce them to iolands. And for
seven months I did that. But I'm telling you, our country is in trouble. The world is on fire. I am not only a mother, but I am a grandmother to eleven grandchildren. We're a resilient country. We can come back after four years of just the insanity and overreach and just things that we've seen. I'm trying to think of agedis to describe it, because there are a lot from this president. But I'm not sure that we can come back from another four years. And so we have
to get this election right. We have to elect somebody that can win. We have to elect somebody that has the skill and the resolve to step in on day one and reverse the madness that we've seen. The madness has to stop, and I just I feel very strongly that Ron's the person that can do that, and so I felt like it was important for me to weigh in.
After the break Governor Reynolds on what issues matter most to Iowan's and what she will do if Trump is the nominee.
We're back.
I'm joined by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. We're talking about her state's upcoming caucus where voters will weigh in on the Republican presidential field. There are a lot of questions, of course, around Donald Trump's candidacy as we head into this coming weekend in Iowa, that if Trump gets less than fifty percent of the vote in your state, he could be beatable.
Well, I think you know, that's what Iowa does. I talked about we narrow the field. If you come in a strong second, it's close. He's fifty or below. I think it is a different ballgame. We'll see what New Hampshire does, and then we have South Carolina and it's off to the races. But it will make a difference what those numbers look like where they come in it will. You know, the media has tried to set the stage that he's not vulnerable, that he can win. I don't
believe the polls. The same polls told us in this last election we were going to have a red tsunami across the country and that didn't happen. It did in Iowa, it did in Florida because we did what we said we were going to do and past policies that impact the people that we serve. But it wasn't the case across the country, and so people are leery of the polls. I'm not sure they're completely honest when they're answering them.
And again, it's a kind of a luck of the draw because you're polling people that have maybe never gone to a caucus or not as engaged. So I think if he scores below fifty, it's like game on.
I do have to ask, because we did all learn hard lessons in twenty sixteen to be prepared for more scenarios than we expect. If your state chooses Trump on Monday, would you support the ex president.
I'm a Republican. Any one of the candidates that we have running will do a better job than the absentee president that we have serving. At this point, it is unbelievable what we see happening under this administration, and so without hesitation, I will do whatever I can to make sure that we have a president in the White House. I think it's going to be Ron DeSantis we need somebody that can serve for eight years, that knows how to work with Congress to get things done and accomplished.
I'm a governor. We don't do it on our own. I have to work with the legislature. That's where the policy starts. I have to figure out a way to work with them and compromise and to continue to drive what I believe will be impactful for our eight That's what I've seen from Governor DeSantis, and that's what our country needs.
So for your constituents, whoever's in the White House, as long as it's the Republican, you will find a way to work with.
Oh. Oh absolutely, you know it's funny. Endorsements are endorsements. I will tell you this Islands are very independent. We take the first in the Nation caucus very seriously. They are still showing up. They are kicking the dyers, they are asking the questions, they are listening to the response. They're going to land where they land. I have really good friends. I have legislators that have lined up with different candidates. So that's just that's who we are and
what we do. I'm going to do what I can to share Ron's vision and message and record, and then every i one will make up their own mind. But ultimately I believe you know, you'll see all of us unite in the inn and that's what we need to do to just get the country back on track.
I want to talk a little bit more globally. There's data and polling that shows that voters in the US and America's friends and folks abroad wonder what is going to happen to the global order if not just if Trump's re elected. I want to move away from that. I want to talk about what happens if we don't have clear election results, or if the country can't unite behind the next administration. You're an influential voice in this country,
a Republican voice. What do you make of those concerns from abroad.
Well, it's a democratic process. We need to do everything we can to make sure that we adhere the integrity of the election. People have to know with great certainty that they can trust the electoral process. You've seen several states that have enhanced their policies when it comes to election integrity. We take it very serious. We've done it
here in Iowa. So we need to continue to make the case not only are the constituents that we serve in a state by state basis, because it's ran by the states, and I think when we do that, then globally it'll have the same impact.
And let's come back local. Then, Okay, you've told me about how prepared Iowans are for the caucus. They are kicking the tires. They have not already made their decision. They are really taking this seriously. What are the big issues for your state and your voters in this election.
You know, it's the economy. I think it's safety. I think you know, when you look at what's happening at the southern border. Every single state is a border state right now and are filling the impacts of that. So they're concerned of that. We can't have an open border. We don't leave our homes unlocked at night. It's the same concept. We want to welcome people, but we want to make sure that we're protecting I think it's safety. It's the economy, inflation and safety.
What are some of the conversations with your voters that have stuck with you as you've been out in support of disantas across the state.
I think one of the things that they say when I've heard them, especially when they've said I'm in it. Did it for me tonight? Is his ability not to be afraid to answer tough questions, and they are wide ranging. I mean some of them have just been from left field, but his capacity to understand the question, understand the issue, and to have an answer or a vision or a policy. And many, many, many times he's already done it in Florida.
So it's not a what if, here's what I would do, but he's able to point to something that he's actually done. When he makes a promise or when he says I'm going to do this, he's already thought it through. I mean, I'm a governor. And these are not little issues that he's talking about. He's taken on really big, tough issues. To be able to stand until there's no more questions now, be afraid of it, have an answer, policy to follow it.
It is very, very affected. He is the most effective leader that I have seen in a long long time. And I mean that, Governor Reynold, thank you so much for your time. Thanks heaven a day you're in Iowa, let me know I will be okay, We'll see you then.
Thanks for listening to Big Take DC from Bloomberg News. I'm Salaiah Mosen. This episode was produced by Julia Press and Naomi Shaven. It was fact checked by Laura Davison. A special thank you to my colleague Jennifer Jacobs. Blake Maples and Alex Sugia are our mix engineers. Our story editors are Michael Shephard and Wendy Benjaminson. Sage Bauman is our executive producer and head of Podcasts. Thanks for tuning in.
I'll be back next week with a special dispatch from Iowa to unpack the results of the first in the nation caucus