On Friday, former President Donald Trump was among the speakers at the Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Dinner in Iowa. The gala event, also attended by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, and several other notable Republicans, was an opportunity for potential presidential candidates to outline their political stance ahead of the 2024 race.
The list of GOP presidential candidates scheduled to speak included former Ambassador Nikki Haley, Senator Tim Scott, entrepreneur and author Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson, political commentator Larry Elder, Perry Johnson, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, businessman Ryan Binkley, and Texas Representative Will Hurd.
The event’s main attraction was Former President Donald Trump, who received the biggest applause and a standing ovation as he took the stage.
In his remarks, Trump showcased a series of poll results that showed his significant lead over not only Biden but also his Republican rivals in the upcoming primary, specifically singling out Governor DeSantis.
“In the newest Echelon poll of swing states, we’re trouncing Biden by 7 points,” Trump said.
“In the big new Premise poll, we’re beating Biden 43-39, while DeSantis is losing to Biden 33-38. In other polls, I’m leading Biden by 6, 7, 8, and 11 points, while DeSantis is losing to Biden in all cases. I wouldn’t take a chance on that one,” Trump added.
Trump also emphasized his strong performance in previous elections, particularly in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania states that hadn’t gone red for over 30 years until his 2016 campaign. He took credit for flipping 200 counties, including 31 in Iowa, that had twice voted for former President Barack Obama.
According to CNN Senior National Correspondent, Trump has a long line of supporters waiting to get photos.