US Politics

Trump leads a crowded if underwhelming field as GOP primary wars kick off in earnest

Florida governor Ron DeSantis won some friends in crucial Iowa, but influential Republicans are hoping fresher faces like Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin and New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu enter the fray

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis and wife Casey arrive for a campaign event at Eternity Church in Clive, Iowa. Picture: Getty

After Florida governor Ron DeSantis’s botched campaign launch from the most obscure corner of Twitter, Iowa was his chance at redemption.

In presidential politics, Iowa holds a unique position. No one is quite sure why, but this sparsely populated agricultural state (it boasts a population density of just 54 people per square mile, compared for example with New Jersey’s 1,300 people per square mile) was selected as the first primary state in US presidential elections. ...