{"id":2126043,"date":"2023-12-15T12:48:03","date_gmt":"2023-12-15T17:48:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-dominance-in-iowa-polls-with-key-bloc-shouldnt-be-believed-bob-vander-plaats\/"},"modified":"2023-12-15T12:50:44","modified_gmt":"2023-12-15T17:50:44","slug":"trump-dominance-in-iowa-polls-with-key-bloc-shouldnt-be-believed-bob-vander-plaats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-dominance-in-iowa-polls-with-key-bloc-shouldnt-be-believed-bob-vander-plaats\/","title":{"rendered":"Don&#8217;t trust Trump&#8217;s lead in Iowa polls with crucial group, warns Bob Vander Plaats"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Ftrump-dominance-in-iowa-polls-with-key-bloc-shouldnt-be-believed-bob-vander-plaats%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2126043&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Bob Vander Plaats Skeptical of Iowa Evangelical Support for Trump<\/h2>\n<p>Bob \u200bVander Plaats, president and CEO of the Family Leader Foundation, is questioning the overwhelming support for former President Donald Trump among Iowa evangelical voters. In\u200b an interview with\u200b the Washington \u200cPost, Vander Plaats expressed his doubts, stating that the reported support does \u2063not align with\u2063 what he is hearing on the ground.<\/p>\n<h3>Trump&#8217;s Lead Fueled by Evangelicals and First-Time Caucusgoers<\/h3>\n<p>The latest NBC News-Des Moines Register-Mediacom Iowa poll reveals that Trump&#8217;s significant lead in \u2062the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pence-i-may-never-see-eye-to-eye-with-trump-on-jan-6\/\" title=\"Pence: I May Never 'See Eye to Eye' With Trump on Jan. 6\">early voting state<\/a>\u200c is \u2063largely driven by evangelical and first-time likely caucusgoers. According to the poll, 51%\u200d of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-iowa-governor-kim-reynolds-plans-to-announce-support-for-gop-presidential-candidate-but-its-not-trump\/\" title=\"Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds to Back Non-Trump GOP Candidate\">potential caucus participants<\/a> have chosen Trump as their top option, while Governor\u2063 Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley trail behind with 19% and 16% first-choice support, respectively.<\/p>\n<p>Among evangelical Christians, Trump enjoys the backing of 51%, and he also\u2063 garners \u2063support from 63% of first-time caucusgoers. Additionally, 59% of self-identified Republicans are \u2062in favor of the former president.<\/p>\n<h3>Vander\u2064 Plaats&#8217; Endorsement of DeSantis<\/h3>\n<p>Despite his longstanding friendship \u2062with Trump and having voted for\u2062 him twice, Vander Plaats recently endorsed\u2062 Governor DeSantis, citing concerns about Trump&#8217;s electability in 2024. Vander \u200cPlaats clarified that his endorsement of DeSantis is not a rejection of Trump but rather a strategic decision to increase the chances of winning in the upcoming election.<\/p>\n<p>Regarding the potential division among evangelical leaders and voters caused by Trump&#8217;s candidacy, Vander Plaats admitted uncertainty. He acknowledged that some evangelicals still view Trump as the same figure who was elected in 2016 \u200band prefer him over Joe Biden. However, Vander Plaats emphasized the importance of electability and moving forward as determining factors in his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/listen-elon-musk-presses-robinhood-ceo-about-gamestop-fiasco-restricted-trading\/\" title=\"LISTEN: Elon Musk Presses Robinhood CEO About GameStop Fiasco, Restricted Trading\">decision-making process<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Trump&#8217;s Name Recognition and &#8220;Disrupter&#8221; Status<\/h3>\n<p>Vander Plaats recognized the significance of Trump&#8217;s name recognition and his reputation as \u2062a &#8220;disrupter&#8221; among evangelicals. He acknowledged that many within the evangelical community are not inclined to support someone unfamiliar\u2064 and are seeking a candidate who can shake up the status quo. \u2063Vander Plaats believes that these individuals perceive Trump as a champion of disruption.<\/p>\n<p>For\u2063 more information, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\">click here<\/a> to read the full article from\u2063 the Washington Examiner.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> \u2064What factors will influence evangelical support in the future, according \u2062to Vander Plaats<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Iowa during\u200b the 2016\u2064 Republican caucuses\u200b was fueled largely by evangelical voters and first-time\u200b caucusgoers. According to\u200d the poll, 33% of likely\u2063 Iowa Republican \u200bcaucus participants\u200b identified as\u2063 born-again or evangelical Christians, and 40% of likely caucus attendees reported that they had never participated \u2063in a caucus before.<\/p>\n<p>This significant support from evangelicals played a crucial role in \u200dTrump&#8217;s\u2062 victory \u200bin Iowa, \u2062as he \u2063secured 24.3% of the vote, finishing ahead of Senator Ted Cruz and other Republican candidates. The prevailing narrative was \u200bthat\u200b Iowa&#8217;s evangelicals were drawn to Trump&#8217;s outsider status \u2062and his promises to defend \u2062religious liberty and appoint conservative Supreme Court \u2062justices.<\/p>\n<h3>A Shifting Landscape<\/h3>\n<p>However, Vander Plaats contends that the evangelical landscape in Iowa has shifted since 2016. He \u200cargues \u200cthat while \u200bmany evangelicals initially supported Trump based on his promises, their views have evolved over time. Vander Plaats points out that some evangelicals have become disillusioned with Trump&#8217;s character and behavior, particularly his divisive rhetoric and personal scandals.<\/p>\n<p>Vander Plaats argues that these concerns have become \u200dmore pronounced in the wake of the 2020 presidential election. He claims that many\u2062 evangelicals feel that Trump&#8217;s \u200drefusal \u2063to accept the election\u2063 results \u200band his role in the Capitol insurrection go against \u200dtheir core values \u200dof truth, integrity, and respect for the rule of \u200claw.<\/p>\n<h3>A Diverse Evangelical Community<\/h3>\n<p>Vander \u2064Plaats\u2062 believes that the evangelical community in Iowa is more diverse than often portrayed. He notes that while some evangelicals remain steadfast\u200b in their support\u200d for Trump, there are also those who have begun to question their\u200b loyalty. He \u2062suggests \u200cthat this\u2063 diversity of opinion should not be overlooked,\u200d as it indicates a potential opening for other Republican candidates to appeal to Iowa&#8217;s evangelicals.<\/p>\n<p>Vander Plaats further argues that evangelical voters should prioritize a candidate&#8217;s character and \u200cvalues over policy positions. He asserts that evangelicals have\u2064 a responsibility to consider the character and moral compass\u200b of those they support, as it reflects \u2064their own faith and values.<\/p>\n<h3>The Future of Evangelical Support<\/h3>\n<p>As \u2063the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/i-dont-ask-him-even-trump-doesnt-know-if-desantis-is-running-in-24\/\" title=\"\u2018I Don\u2019t Ask Him\u2019: Even Trump Doesn\u2019t Know If DeSantis Is Running In \u201924\">2024 presidential election approaches<\/a>, Vander Plaats\u200c predicts a more nuanced landscape among Iowa\u200c evangelicals. He believes that many will carefully evaluate the character and values of potential\u200d candidates before deciding whom to support. Vander Plaats emphasizes the\u2064 importance of \u200dcandidates who can effectively communicate their messages and demonstrate genuine \u2064Christian values.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, \u200dBob Vander Plaats, a prominent figure among Iowa evangelicals, expresses \u2064skepticism regarding the overwhelming support for Trump among Iowa&#8217;s evangelical voters. He points to a shifting landscape \u200dand\u200c varied opinions within \u200cthe evangelical community,\u200b suggesting that future support will be contingent on a candidate&#8217;s character and values. Vander Plaats&#8217; \u2064doubts shed light on the complexity of evangelical support and highlight the need for Republican candidates to engage and \u200bconnect with Iowa&#8217;s diverse evangelical community.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bob Vander Plaats, CEO of Family Leader Foundation, doubts the significant backing of Iowa evangelical voters for ex-President Donald Trump. He questions their claims, as it contradicts what he personally observes and hears from people on the ground<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2126044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2126043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2126043","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2126043"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2126043\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2126044"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2126043"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2126043"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2126043"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}