Two weeks out from the caucuses, DeSantis-Haley rivalry dominates airwaves as Trump maintains front-runner status

Waukee, Iowa CNN —

With TVs inside a packed central Iowa sports bar tuned to the Citrus Bowl, the phrase “dumpster fire” could be heard over the pub’s speakers midway through the second quarter. But the criticism wasn’t directed at the Iowa Hawkeyes’ lackluster performance in the New Year’s Day game.

Rather, it was a political ad attacking the presidential campaign of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who walked into the bar later, hoping to convince Iowans the description was far from apt.

“We’re going to get it done,” he told one man after taking a swig of Guinness.

Two weeks before the Iowa caucuses, the airwaves here are filled with ads from allies of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley attacking DeSantis and vice versa. Indeed, after DeSantis exited the bar, a commercial calling Haley “Tricky Nikki” aired, paid for by a super PAC supporting the Florida governor, a representation of how the pair are mercilessly going after each other as the race intensifies.

But not once during the Citrus Bowl broadcast did an ad air targeting the front-runner in the race, Donald Trump – a recurring theme of the ad wars this presidential cycle. The former president is rarely the subject of the millions of dollars being spent to sway Republicans, nor is he lately the focal point of his rivals on the campaign trail.

As the Republican presidential contenders ready their closing arguments to Iowans, they have offered few indications that these dynamics will change before the January 15 caucuses. And having failed to emerge as the unquestioned alternative to Trump in 2023, the success of his challengers in 2024 now hinges on quickly pushing the others out of the picture.

Trump has ramped his appearances in the early nominating