DeSantis is fighting for his political life along Iowa’s icy campaign trail

West Des Moines, Iowa CNN —

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis once looked like the Republican Party’s future. Now, a national career that conjured White House dreams is in danger of fizzling before it really began.

His plight is not just about a rising Republican star’s struggle to adapt to the biggest stage with political skills that initially were not ready for prime time. It’s a revealing story about the GOP itself, its fixation with former President Donald Trump and whether grassroots Republicans really want the efficient, conservative government DeSantis promises or prefer the ex-president’s furious brew of grievance and spectacle.

Republican presidential candidate Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, right, speaking at an event in West Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. Also on stage is Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, left. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

DeSantis vows to stay in presidential race ahead of Iowa caucuses

The Florida governor is spending Sunday braving the icy roads of Iowa in a last-ditch fight to claim the strong second-place finish in Monday’s caucuses he probably needs to stay in the Republican nominating race. In December, he predicted he’d win the first-in-the-nation contest. But a Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom poll released Saturday night brought him bad news.

His campaign is arguing that his slip into a numerical third place, albeit within the margin of error, behind former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley and far behind the runaway front-runner Trump won’t actually predict caucus results. He is relying on Iowa’s long history of late twists and a ground operation his super PAC spent months building to drive out voters in the extreme weather forecasted for Monday.

“They can throw a