Former Vice President Mike Pence and other Republican presidential candidates visited the Iowa State Fair on Friday.
The annual event, which has been a traditional stomping ground for White House contenders, comes weeks before the first GOP presidential primary debate.
Former President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who are currently the two top-polling candidates in the primary, will attend the fair on Saturday.
The Hill’s Caroline Vakil is reporting from the event in Iowa.
Full recap below:
While day two of the Iowa State Fair has largely wrapped up, Saturday will boast of it’s own appearances by 2024 candidates.
Below is the chat schedule with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and other appearances.
All times Eastern.
9:30 a.m.: Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy fireside chat
11:30 a.m.: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis fireside chat
1:00 p.m.: Ramaswamy Political Soapbox
2:00 p.m.: Trump visits state fair
2:30 p.m.: Democrat Marianne Williamson Political Soapbox
3:15 p.m.: Political Soapbox Democrat Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
4:00 p.m.: Political Soapbox Republican Nikki Haley
Former Vice President Mike Pence, during a campaign stop at the Iowa State Fair, brought back memories from his last debate, joking that this time he would bring a fly swatter.
During an interview stop, he was asked about his strategy for the debate. NewsNation’s Kellie Meyers jested: “No flies, right?”
“Well, I think I’m gonna bring a fly swatter this time,” Pence quipped, adding “You know they had a plexiglass wall at that Vice Presidential debate, but it wasn’t tall enough to stop a fly.”
Read full story here.
— Steff Danielle Thomas
Former Vice President Pence visited livestock at the state fair, quipping during the excursion, “that’s a lot of bull.”
Former Vice President Pence contrasted himself with former President Trump and his other 2024 GOP rivals on the issue of abortion.
“My former running mate, governor of Florida and others are suggesting that the Supreme Court returned the question of abortion to the states. Well, the Dobbs [v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization] decision sent the question of abortion to the states and the American people,” Pence told Newsmax in an interview at the state fair.
“The American people elect presidents, they elect Senators, they elect congressmen, so while I’ll always stand for advancing protections for the unborn in states across the country like Iowa just did, like Indiana’s done,” he continued. “I truly do believe that [it’s] vitally important, and that we seize the opportunity at the national level to advance protections for the right to life, and I’ll do so as President.”
Former Vice President Pence and his wife, Karen, visited a “Little Hands on the Farm” child-friendly livestock and farm visit with Rep. Zach Nunn (R-Iowa) and his family.
Conservative Iowa talk show host Steve Deace threw his support behind Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s presidential bid Friday.
“I’m endorsing Ron DeSantis for president because I think he’s the strongest leader in the race. I think that’s proven. I’ve just seen a level of leadership, strength, that I’ve just not seen in this era,” the host said on “The Steve Deace Show.”
In a press release, DeSantis’s campaign referred to Deace as an “Iowa Kingmaker.” Deace endorsed 2008 Iowa caucus winner Mike Huckabee and 2016 winner Ted Cruz.
Read more here.
— Julia Manchester
Former Vice President Pence visited the iconic butter cow at the Iowa State Fair alongside Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).
Miami mayor Francis Suarez on Friday claimed he could bring in votes from groups the other 2024 candidates could not.
“I’m running for president at an enormous personal sacrifice to myself, because I believe that I can win this race in 2024,” he said at the Iowa State Fair. “Why do I think I can do that? Because I think there are three pockets of votes that I can get that I don’t know that any other candidate can get.”
The three areas: Hispanics, young people and voters from inner cities.
“There isn’t a better candidate available,” he added. “Period. Full stop.”
The sun continues to shine on the Iowa State Fair as signs display the wide array of food choices, from fried Oreos to cold root beer.
With bright blue skies and colorful booths, the crowd has not dwindled.
Former Vice President Pence in a brief interview on Friday said that he’s ready to take on former President Donald Trump when the first GOP presidential debate takes place next month in Iowa.
“I think I’ve been preparing for this debate my whole life,” Pence told The Hill. “I spent a lifetime in the Republican Party and in the conservative movement … I think I’m going to be the most consistent and experienced conservative on that stage.”
— Caroline Vakil
While Iowans will be hearing from 2024 GOP candidates, it’s not the only thing drawing crowds at the state fair.
Fairgoers are also enjoying fried eats, listening to live music and doing the Sky Gliding ride, among other entertainment here.
The Iowa State Fair is showcasing a variety of meats, fried foods, deserts and other items for visitors to nosh on.
Fair-goers are capitalizing on onion strings, corn dogs , wall-eye on a stick, cotton candy and more. wa
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said he was concerned that polling firms are leaving him off surveys, making it difficult for him to notch a key requirement to make the first GOP debate stage.
Republican contenders need to be at a minimum of 1 percent in three national polls or a minimum of 1 percent in two national polls and 1 percent in two early state polls from two states.
“I do, obviously, because it’s hard to make it a polling threshold if you’re not included in the poll,” he said, in response to a question by The Hill.
“So I do have concerns about that. I’ve always abided by the threshold. I’ve been very supportive of minimum thresholds because I do think that time is valuable. But I also think it has to be a fair process,” he added.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez takes the stage with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds for her last fire-side chat today.
The crowd is a bit more sparse this time around. Suarez touts lowering taxes and lower crime rates in Miami in his remarks.
Former Vice President Pence largely avoided criticizing former President Trump during his fire-side chat with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, focusing on other issues like the U. S. southern border, inflation, foreign policy issues like the country’s chaotic exit from Afghanistan, and culture war issues like gender-affirming surgeries.
”I was always loyal to President Donald Trump ’til the day came that my oath to the Constitution required me to do otherwise. But I’ll always be proud of the record of the Trump-Pence administration,“ Pence said in reference to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol attack.