Casey DeSantis, the wife of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has come under fire for her attempts to recruit out-of-state supporters to participate in Iowa’s Republican nominating contest. During a Fox News appearance with her husband, Ms. DeSantis encouraged supporters from other states to “descend upon the state of Iowa to be a part of the caucus,” stating that nonresidents could participate.
However, the Republican Party of Iowa quickly clarified that caucus rules do not allow nonresidents to participate and that participants must be legal residents of Iowa and their precinct, bringing photo ID to participate.
Former President Donald J. Trump’s campaign accused the DeSantis campaign of spreading misinformation and attempting to rig the caucus through fraud. They condemned the “dirty and illegal tactics” and urged Trump supporters to be aware of the DeSantis’ plot.
In response, a spokesman for the DeSantis campaign pointed to comments made by Ms. DeSantis on social media, attempting to clarify her earlier remarks. Gov. Ron DeSantis also addressed the controversy, stating that there is a way for nonresidents to participate by speaking on behalf of candidates.
The Trump campaign has called on Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, who has endorsed Mr. DeSantis, to clarify caucus eligibility rules and disavow the tactics promoted by Ms. DeSantis.
As the controversy continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the situation will impact the upcoming caucus on January 15.