Iowa
Haley 7 points ahead of DeSantis in Iowa: Survey
Republican White House candidate Nikki Haley tops GOP rival Ron DeSantis by 7 points in a new poll of likely caucusgoers in Iowa, days before the first presidential contest.
Haley drew support from 20 percent of likely caucusgoers in the Suffolk University Political Research Center poll released Thursday, while DeSantis had 13 percent.
Former President Trump maintained his dominant lead in the survey, with 54 percent of likely caucusgoers backing him.
No other candidate broke double digits.
Haley and DeSantis have gone after each other hard heading into Iowa, where polls have shown the pair battling for second.
Haley, the former governor of South Carolina who served as U.N. ambassador under Trump, squared off with DeSantis in a one-on-one debate Wednesday night in Des Moines, the final debate before Monday’s caucuses.
During the debate, DeSantis defended his record as Florida governor while attacking Haley over myriad issues, seeking to blunt her momentum in the primary. The pair sparred over issues such as abortion, foreign policy and spending.
“The best way to tell about a candidate is to see how they run their campaign,” Haley said at one point, attacking DeSantis. “He has blown through $150 million … I don’t even know how you do that.”
“He has nothing to show for it. He’s spent more money on private planes than he has on commercials trying to get Iowans to vote for him. If you can’t manage a campaign, how are you going to manage a country?” she added.
Trump skipped the CNN debate and appeared at his own town hall event hosted by Fox News.
Hours before the debate, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie announced he was dropping out of the GOP race, a move widely seen as helping boost Haley, especially in New Hampshire. The Granite State holds its primary Jan. 23 and polls have shown the race is tighter there, though Trump has generally held onto a lead.
Moments before he appeared on stage in New Hampshire to announce to supporters that he was suspending his campaign, Christie was heard on a hot mic predicting that Haley is “gonna get smoked” in the race against Trump.
“I mean look, she’s spent like $68 million so far, just on TV — spent $68 million so far — $59 million by DeSantis, and we spent $12 [million]. I mean, who’s punching above their weight and who’s getting a return on their investment, you know?” Christie was heard saying in the audio. “And she’s gonna get smoked. And you and I both know it. She’s not up to this.”
Christie was drawing 2 percent support in Iowa before he dropped out, according to the Suffolk University Political Research Center poll conducted earlier this week, while entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy earned 6 percent.
The survey of 500 likely Republican caucusgoers was conducted Jan. 6-10 and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.
Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Iowa
Sen. Chuck Grassley shares he’s recovering from gallstone surgery
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Senator Chuck Grassley said he’s recovering from a gallstone removal procedure.
His media team shared that he is working in Iowa “in good spirits and looks forward to returning to Washington soon.”
“I’m gr8ful [sic] for the excellent care from local health care providers,” he shared on X.
Over the weekend in Iowa I had a procedure to remove gallstones I’m gr8ful for the excellent care from local health care providers Be back to capitol ASAP
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) April 20, 2026
Grassley, 92, is the oldest senator currently in office and the sixth-longest-serving senator in U.S. history.
The Senate is in session this week.
Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa
Former Iowa State star, All-American Audi Crooks announces transfer destination
Former Iowa State center Audi Crooks has committed to Oklahoma State via the NCAA Transfer Portal. She has one season of eligibility remaining.
Crooks made 99 appearances and 95 starts during her three seasons at Iowa State. She averaged 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game this past season, while shooting 64.9% from the field. Additionally, the 6-foot-3 star shot 1-11 from 3-point range.
Crooks played a leading role for the Cyclones from the moment she stepped on campus. She is a three-time All-Big 12 First-Team selection and two-time All-American. On April 2, Crooks announced her intention to enter the transfer portal.
“Cyclone Nation, thank you all for embracing me and showing up to Hilton every single game day. I’ve met so many of you out in the community, and I will cherish all of the genuine connections that I’ve built during my time at Iowa State,” Crooks wrote. “Words cannot fully express how grateful I feel to have called this place home.
“I want to thank my teammates for their friendship and all the great memories. … I still believe the grass is greener where you water it, and I’ve done that here.”
Now, Audi Crooks will aim to thrive in her new environment. Oklahoma finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-10 overall record.
The NCAA Transfer Portal officially opened on April 6 and closes on April 20. The new 15-day window was enacted following a recommendation by the women’s basketball oversight committee. Athletes don’t have to commit to a new school by the April 21 deadline.
To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire. The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.
Iowa
5 people wounded in shooting near University of Iowa campus, including 3 students
Five people were shot and injured at an Iowa City pedestrian mall near the University of Iowa campus overnight, police said Sunday. Students from the university were among the injured, according to school officials.
The Iowa City Police Department responded to a report of a large fight in the 100 Block of East College Street at 1:46 a.m. early Sunday, the department said in a news release. Arriving officers heard gunfire.
Multiple victims were hospitalized, police said. Police confirmed to CBS News that one person was in critical condition, while the other four victims are stable.
University of Iowa President Barb Wilson said in a statement that three students were among those shot. None of the victims has been publicly identified.
No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. Police said they are seeking information about five “persons of interest associated with this shooting.” The university also shared the request for information.
The pedestrian mall was closed for several hours and reopened Sunday afternoon.
-
New York21 minutes agoGotti Grandson Is Sentenced to 15 Months for Covid Relief Fraud
-
Detroit, MI51 minutes agoWhy a Detroit family’s $300 brick repair job turned into a fraud investigation
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoSea lion pup found in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset malnourished but ‘feisty’
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoDallas Cowboys 2026 NFL Draft debate heats up
-
Miami, FL1 hour agoMan arrested in Miami for alleged sexual battery on 10-year-old girl – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports | Fort Lauderdale
-
Boston, MA1 hour agoFormer BYU star Clayton Young crushes lifetime best in Boston — on short notice
-
Denver, CO1 hour agoColorado boasts two of the best coffee shops in the Americas, according to new ranking
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoDelta flight from Seoul to Atlanta diverted to Seattle after report of suspicious package