The Presidential Race…for 2024
I know, you’re shaking your head. Can’t we get through this election and have some time to recover before focusing on the next one?
Sure, I’m all for it. But tell that to those who want to be inaugurated on January 20, 2025.
Iowa is where presidential campaigns begin, grow, and often, die. So it only makes sense for those who are thinking about it, or who are being encouraged to consider it, to show up here. And when better than during an election cycle, so they can be seen as helping fellow partisans who might be grateful when a favor is needed.
Within the past few weeks, despite limits on campaigning due to COVID, South Carolina U.S. Senator Tim Scott parlayed his appearance at the Republican National Convention into a bus tour with his Senate colleague Joni Ernst, to help her chances. Arkansas U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, fresh from being listed on President Trump’s list of possible U.S. Supreme Court justices, was in Eastern Iowa to help Republican first district congressional candidate Ashley Hinson…and noted that his wife was actually born in Iowa. And being a good neighbor, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem upped her name recognition in Iowa, going from the Independence Day event at Mount Rushmore to the RNC, to a meeting of Pottawattamie County Republicans, and jumping on the Eastern Iowa leg of a Trump surrogate bus tour.
Democrats are out and about as well, although for the most part, they’re appearing before supporters virtually…or calling radio stations like this one. We spoke with both Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan and Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown when each was toying with a 2020 presidential run…and what do you know, the Biden campaign in Iowa arranged for us to talk with each again.
All part of the process…or the game, if you prefer. For all the complaints about the caucuses, welcome to what is still the center of the political universe.
