Former President Donald Trump lambasted Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), his chief rival in the 2024 Republican nominating race, over his stance on the federal ethanol mandate at a campaign rally on Friday.
"He's got no personality, but he would be a catastrophe for the farmers of Nebraska and Iowa and everyplace else," Trump said during his stop in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
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Ethanol is an alcohol fuel mostly made from corn that is important to politically powerful Iowa farmers who will help determine early momentum for presidential candidates next year. Trump sought to contrast himself with the Florida governor's ethanol actions during his Iowa speech where he referred to DeSantis with a derogatory nickname.
"DeSanctus sided with the communists in China. I sided with the farmers in America. Does that sound good?" he continued to applause. "Every Iowan also needs to know that Ron DeSanctus totally despises Iowa, ethanol, and ethanol generally."
Trump pointed to DeSantis co-sponsoring a 2017 bill that would have stopped the federal ethanol mandate known as the renewable fuel standard, which controls how much ethanol is allowed in gas, while he was a member of Congress.
"If he had his way, the entire economy of Iowa would absolutely collapse," Trump said. "DeSanctus slandered the ethanol mandate as, quote, 'socialism.' He called it socialism and called his vicious plan to annihilate the Iowa farming industry as a total no-brainer," Trump said.
Trump has previously attacked DeSantis for being an ethanol opponent during his visit to Davenport, Iowa, in March as a 2024 candidate. Support for ethanol has become a crucial test for 2024 hopefuls looking to win the crucial Iowa caucuses next year.
A mere hour before the Iowa rally started on Friday, Trump's campaign announced the Farmers for Trump coalition in Iowa, including leaders such as Iowa state Rep. Mike Sexton, co-chair of Farmers for Trump and chairman of the Iowa House Agriculture Committee.
During his rally, Trump bragged about his pro-farmer stance, including repealing the North American Free Trade Agreement and replacing it with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. "I'm proud to be the most pro-farmer president that you've ever had in the White House. We did more for American agriculture than any administration in history by far," he said.
"And I like to say and very strongly and proudly that I fought for Iowa ethanol like no president in history," he later added.
Trump and DeSantis are the current top two leaders of the GOP presidential race. They consistently poll in the double digits in national and state polls, with other rivals stuck in the single digits. Yet DeSantis's campaign is betting on performing well in Iowa during next year's nominating contests. But Trump's repeated attacks and fundraising prowess may prove hard to topple.
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The former president's campaign has helped to stall DeSantis's campaign since he launched in May. And more 2024 rivals have jumped into the race, which could dilute DeSantis's efforts to become the most dominant Trump-alternative candidate.
"If you want to defend American farmers and grow more farm products in the USA, then you should vote for a very fine gentleman named Donald J. Trump," the former president said to loud cheers and applause.