The 2024 primary season is ramping up and GOP hopefuls are already inundating early-voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire with campaign stops.  

Former President Donald Trump holds a strong, early lead in the polls but he’s also hitting the campaign trail as other candidates jump in the race with hopes of beating the frontrunner.  

Newly announced candidates like Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) are kicking off their campaigns with jam-packed schedules in hopes of drumming up much-needed support to contend against Trump. 

“This country is going in the wrong direction,” said DeSantis at a campaign stop in Iowa. 

This week alone, DeSantis is campaigning in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina.

“We’re going to reverse Biden’s destructive economic policies. We’re going to get this economy back towards focusing on what’s good for hardworking Americans and for small business,” DeSantis continued. “I’m so sick of big businesses doing so well, and small businesses struggling.”

The latest Morning Consult poll shows former President Trump leading the pack of Republican hopefuls with 56% – a 34-point lead over DeSantis, the closest contender.

“Ron, as I call him “Ron De-sanctimonious” for a reason. But Ron, Ron was totally against ethanol so for those people that care about ethanol and it’s a big deal actually for you,” Trump said at a campaign event in Iowa on Thursday. “With respect to the corn and with respect to a lot of other things and with respect to jobs, it’s a very big deal.”

“There’s no way I could lose Iowa. Let’s see what happens, I don’t think so, we’d have to, we’d have to do some really bad things to lose at this point,” claimed Trump. “It’s been amazing how far, it’s the best polls we’ve ever had, overall nationwide in Iowa no matter where I go, it’s the best polls because they love the four years.”

The GOP field is still expanding with former Vice President Mike Pence and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie expected to make announcements early next week. 

On the Democratic side, Marianne Williamson and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. have jumped in the race to challenge sitting President Joe Biden. But as of now, the Democratic National Committee is foregoing any primary debates between Biden and his Democratic challengers.  

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