Iowans share their thoughts on Republican candidates at Iowa State … – KCCI Des Moines

THEY BELIEVE IS THE BEST CHOICE FOR THEMSELVES. WELL, LOOKING AT ALL OF THAT, IT HAS BEEN A MAJOR WEEK OF POLITICS AT THE IOWA STATE FAIR. BUT DID THE FAIR VISITS MAKE A DIFFERENCE? WE SPOKE WITH MORE THAN A DOZEN IOWANS AT THE FAIR ABOUT WHO THEY SUPPORT AND WHY IOWANS FLOCK TO THE FAIR EACH YEAR FOR THE FARM ANIMALS AND THE FRIED FOOD. BUT WITH THE CAUCUSES JUST MONTHS AWAY? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME BACK TO STATE FAIR. FAIR GOERS THIS YEAR ALSO COME HUNGRY FOR MORE INFORMATION ON EACH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. I WANT TO SEE SOMETHING NEW FROM SOME OF THESE POTENTIAL CANDIDATES. ALMOST EVERY PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL HAS MADE AN APPEARANCE, SOME STICKING TO TRADITION, LIKE FLIPPING PORK CHOPS. OTHERS HOPING TO STAND OUT. CANDIDATES DOING ALL THEY CAN TO SWAY IOWA VOTERS WHOSE INFLUENCE COULD HELP PROPEL THEM TO THE WHITE HOUSE. AND AFTER THIS WEEK, SOME IOWANS ARE LOCKED IN. I’M REALLY FOR SCOTT. TIM SCOTT? YEAH, HE’S MY MAN. I’M PRETTY MUCH WON OVER BY DESANTIS. I’M A TRUMP VOTER, SO I’LL VOTE FOR HIM AGAIN. BUT MANY SAY THEY’RE STILL WAITING TO BE WON OVER. I’D SAY I’D KEEP KEEPING AN EYE OPEN, SEE WHO’S ALL OUT THERE. DO I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF GOOD CANDIDATES? BUT I JUST DON’T THINK THEY CAN REALLY GET THE MOMENTUM THAT THEY’RE GOING TO NEED TO BEAT DONALD TRUMP, THE FORMER PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO HOLD A SIGNIFICANT LEAD IN IOWA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. BUT AS HE CAMPAIGNS TRUMP NOW FACES HIS FOURTH CRIMINAL INDICTMENT IN LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS. AN IOWANS AT THE FAIR ARE TAKING NOTE. WHERE THERE’S SMOKE, THERE’S FIRE. NOW HOW HOT IS THE FIRE? I DON’T KNOW. WELL, MY THOUGHTS ARE THEY’RE, QUOTE UNQUOTE TRUMPED UP AND THEY’RE KIND OF PRETTY MUCH PHONY. A LOT OF IT. THEY DON’T WANT HIM IN THERE. SO THEY’RE GOING TO FIND ANYTHING THEY CAN. AND I THINK THAT THEY ALL HAVE THINGS TO HIDE. SO HE’S NOT PERFECT AND NOBODY IS. WHILE SOME ARE UNDETERRED BY THE INDICTMENTS, IT DOESN’T IMPACT ANYTHING. AND I DON’T THINK MOST OF HIS TRUE FOLLOWERS, I DON’T THINK IT BOTHERS THEM EITHER. OTHERS SEE THE CHARGES AS TOO MUCH BAGGAGE. I THINK MOST OF THEM ARE GOING TO BE PROVEN TO BE UNJUST. BUT I DON’T KNOW. HE JUST HAS TOO MUCH BAGGAGE. I’D RATHER SEE SOMEBODY NEW COME IN. I WOULDN’T VOTE HIM IN BASED ON WHAT WE’RE HEARING SO FAR, YOU KNOW, I KNOW HE’S INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, BUT I DON’T LIKE THE WAY IT’S GOING. AND WHAT WE’RE HEARING. BUT FOR SOME IOWANS LIKE TOM STEIN IN DES MOINES, THE INDICTMENTS DO CHANGE MINDS. DOES IT IMPACT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE OVERALL RACE OR OTHER CANDIDATES AS WELL? WELL, I THINK IT DOES. I THINK IT OPENS, AS I SAID PREVIOUSLY. I THINK IT OPENS MY MIND TO SAY WHAT NEW IDEAS ARE OUT THERE, WHETHER IT BE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRATIC. I WANT THE BEST CANDIDATE THIS YEAR. WE YOU KNOW, EVERYBODY SAYS WE’RE READY FOR CHANGE. WE’RE LOOKING FOR CHANGE. I’M HOPING THAT WE GET THAT OPPORTUNITY THIS YEAR. AND IOWANS WILL GET THE CHANCE TO SEE MANY OF THOSE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ON THE DEBATE STAGE FOR THE FIRST TIME NEXT WEDNESDAY IN MILWAUKEE. BUT NOT DONALD TRUMP. HE DECIDED TODAY HE WILL NOT PARTICIPATE. INSTEAD, HE SAYS HE’LL DO AN ONLINE INTERVI

Fairgoers share their thoughts on a major week in Iowa politics

Updated: 6:47 PM CDT Aug 18, 2023

It’s been a major week of politics at the Iowa State Fair.But did the visits from Republican candidates make a difference? KCCI’s chief political reporter Amanda Rooker spoke with more than a dozen Iowans at the fair about who they support and why. See the video above for more about what she found.

DES MOINES, Iowa —

It’s been a major week of politics at the Iowa State Fair.

But did the visits from Republican candidates make a difference? KCCI’s chief political reporter Amanda Rooker spoke with more than a dozen Iowans at the fair about who they support and why. See the video above for more about what she found.