Iowa

Opinion | Trump might have the lead in Iowa, but he has one big weakness

Published

1 year ago

August 30, 2023

Opinion | Trump might have the lead in Iowa, but he has one big weakness

ORANGE CITY, Iowa — It would be easy to conclude from the polls that Donald Trump will cruise to victory in Iowa’s caucuses in January. But spend a week in the state, as I did recently, and it becomes far less certain that the former president will start off the primary season with an early victory.

There’s one big reason for this: Iowa’s evangelical Christian community is not yet sold on him.

All the campaigns know that the state’s evangelical voters are key to winning here. Their choice has won the past four caucuses, and their early backing for Pat Robertson in 1988 and Pat Buchanan in 1996 propelled their national campaigns. If Trump is going to lose, it will be because evangelicals have weighed him on the scales and found him wanting.

I talked to Iowa evangelical pastors and grass-roots leaders, who understand the nuances of their community better than any pollster. Their message was surprisingly uniform: Iowa’s evangelicals haven’t made up their minds yet. Many retain affinity for Trump and might still back the former president. But they are taking advantage of the candidates’ frequent trips here to kick the tires and see whether there’s someone they like better — someone, I was repeatedly told, without so much baggage.

That sentiment was particularly strong in Sioux County, where I spent half of my trip. The area, in Iowa’s far-northwest corner, is home to the nation’s largest concentration of Dutch Americans, a devoutly religious and conservative population. The county has backed religious and cultural conservatives in GOP caucuses since 1996. It is so conservative that it supported religious conservative Gary Bauer over the more moderate George W. Bush in the 2000 caucuses, as did two neighboring counties.

It wasn’t hard to find churchgoing evangelicals in the area considering Trump alternatives. In fact, not a single person I spoke to was planning to support Trump in the caucuses, although they all said they would grudgingly vote for him in the general election.

Nor was it hard to uncover what bothered them about the former president: his character. As the Rev. Joel Kok of Covenant Christian Reformed Church told me, “If you want someone to focus on the policies, it might be better to get away from Trump.”

That doesn’t mean there wasn’t some sympathy for Trump as he faces an unprecedented flurry of indictments. John Klompien, pastor of Calvary Christian Reformed Church, spoke for many when he posited that the indictments and their extensive media coverage was being used to keep the focus on Trump and thereby “draw attention away from other candidates who could defeat [President] Biden.”

Nevertheless, the names of other Republican candidates kept popping up in my conversations. Most people had seen the ubiquitous television ads for South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott. Vivek Ramaswamy has also made an impression, as has Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. No one mentioned former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley or any of the lower-ranking candidates.

Mike Pence drew mixed reads. In early July, the former vice president visited Sioux Center, the largest city in the county. Former state senator Dave Mulder is a fan, saying Pence is “a Christian man who believes in prayer.” But Mulder is an exception. Mark Volkers, a congregant at the Calvary Christian Reformed Church, captured the views of most people I spoke to: “Pence is a good man,” he told me, “but he’s so vanilla when it comes to campaigning. Does he even have a chance?”

That sentiment — that the religious evangelical is looking for a person of character who can win — is good news for DeSantis. A couple of my interviewees were behind him; all were at least considering him. The governor also appears to be the most active in the state these days. Klompien mentioned that a DeSantis staffer had knocked on his door, and he frequently received pro-DeSantis door hangers. That might be anecdotal, but it serves as evidence that DeSantis’s ground game is up and running.

That could matter greatly in the coming months. The DeSantis campaign has correctly noted that Iowa evangelicals typically consolidate behind their eventual favorite after Labor Day. In fact, elections guru Nate Silver examined polls from the Des Moines Register going back all the way to 1980 and found that only 7 of the 15 candidates who led the pack in late summer went on to win the state. Three of the winners saw their huge leads plummet by at least 14 points by caucus night.

Of course, whoever wins Iowa is by no means destined to win the GOP nomination. And anything can happen in 4½ months. Maybe Trump commands a silent majority who will make their preferences known on caucus night. But don’t be surprised if that doesn’t turn out to be true.

Iowa

What channel is Iowa State vs. West Virginia game tonight (10/12/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for college football, Week 7

Published

8 hours ago

October 12, 2024

Press Room

What channel is Iowa State vs. West Virginia game tonight (10/12/24)? FREE LIVE STREAM, Time, TV, Channel for college football, Week 7

The No. 11 Iowa State Cyclones, led by quarterback Rocco Becht, face the West Virginia Mountaineers, led by quarterback Garrett Greene on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024 (10/12/24) at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, W. Va.

How to watch: Fans can watch the game for free via a trial of DirecTV Stream or fuboTV. You can also watch via a subscription to Sling TV.

Here’s what you need to know:

What: NCAA Football, Week 7

Who: Iowa State vs. West Virginia

When: Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024

Where: Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium

Time: 8 p.m. ET

TV: FOX

Live stream: fuboTV (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial)

***

Here are the best streaming options for college football this season:

Fubo TV (free trial): fuboTV carries ESPN, FOX, ABC, NBC and CBS.

DirecTV Stream (free trial): DirecTV Stream carries ESPN, FOX, NBC and CBS.

Sling TV ($25 off the first month)– Sling TV carries ESPN, FOX, ABC and NBC.

ESPN+($9.99 a month): ESPN+ carries college football games each weekend for only $9.99 a month. These games are exclusive to the platform.

Peacock TV ($5.99 a month): Peacock will simulstream all of NBC Sports’ college football games airing on the NBC broadcast network this season, including Big Ten Saturday Night. Peacock will also stream Notre Dame home games. Certain games will be streamed exclusively on Peacock this year as well.

Paramount+ (free trial): Paramount Plus will live stream college football games airing on CBS this year.

***

Here’s a preview capsule via the Associated Press:

No. 11 Iowa State (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) at West Virginia (3-2, 2-0), Saturday, 8 p.m. ET (Fox)

BetMGM College Football Odds: Iowa State by 3.

Series record: West Virginia leads 6-5.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Iowa State is off to its best start since 1980, and a win would make them 6-0 for the first time since 1938. The Cyclones are looking to extend their road winning streak to seven games. West Virginia is going after its third straight win after a 1-2 start. Iowa State and West Virginia are 2-0 in conference play. One of them will forge a first-place tie with idle Texas Tech.

KEY MATCHUP

Iowa State’s defense vs. West Virginia QB Garrett Greene. Of the dual-threat quarterbacks the Cyclones have faced so far, Greene could be the best. He had runs of 39, 15 and 10 yards against Oklahoma State last week and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry and 59 yards per game. Run defense hasn’t been a strength for the Cyclones, who hope to force Greene to try to beat them through the air. Iowa State has the Big 12’s top defense, allowing just 10 points and 272 yards per game.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Iowa State: LB Kooper Ebel has led or co-led the team in tackles in three straight games. He made just three tackles in eight games as a freshman last year. He added 15 pounds to get up to 240 on his 6-foot-4 frame and has made at least six stops in all five games. Last week he had eight tackles and a quarterback hurry against Baylor.

West Virginia: RB Jahiem White. The sophomore ran for a season-high 158 yards in the lopsided win at Oklahoma State and the Mountaineers compiled 389 on the ground. White hopes to be back on track after being limited to 94 yards combined against No. 4 Penn State, No. 22 Pittsburgh and Kansas.

FACTS & FIGURES

Anthony Becht, a tight end for the Mountaineers from 1996 to 1999, will be honored during the game for his induction into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. His son, Rocco, is Iowa State’s quarterback. … The Cyclones have won 12 straight when scoring at least 30 points. They’ve scored at least 30 in the last five meetings with WVU. … ISU had nine plays of 20 or more yards against Baylor last week, tied for the most by a Power Four team against a conference opponent this season. … The Cyclones’ defense gets better as the game progresses. They’re allowing an average of 4.0 points and 112 yards in the second halves. … West Virginia will wear all-black uniforms in honor of the state’s coal mining industry.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)

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Iowa

Rosemount H.S. Marching Band wins at Iowa competition

Published

15 hours ago

October 12, 2024

Press Room

Rosemount H.S. Marching Band wins at Iowa competition

The Rosemount High School Marching Band is celebrating a big victory from a competition earlier this fall. In late September they took home the Class AAA Championship trophy at the Bands of America regional competition in Waukee, Iowa. Members of the band joined the FOX 9 Morning News to talk about the win and share how they are getting ready for another big competition this weekend at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

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