Former President Donald J. Trump will not be participating in a series of one-on-one interviews with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and other Republican presidential candidates at the Iowa State Fair next month. The interviews, called the “Fair-Side Chats,” are an opportunity for presidential hopefuls to interact with voters ahead of the state’s caucuses in January.
Ms. Reynolds’s office released a list of participants for the interview series, which notably did not include Mr. Trump. The former president, who has expressed his disappointment with Ms. Reynolds for not endorsing him, declined the invitation to participate. The decision further emphasizes the ongoing feud between the two.
While it is customary for Iowa governors to remain neutral in presidential primaries, Mr. Trump’s camp believes that Ms. Reynolds’s neutrality is merely in name. They point to her attendance at events with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Mr. Trump’s chief rival, as evidence of her alliance. This belief has puzzled and angered conservatives in the state, with one Republican state senator switching his endorsement from Trump to DeSantis as a result of the feud.
Mr. Trump, confident in his lead over the rest of the field, has shown a willingness to skip important primary events, including potentially the first Republican presidential debate in late August. He has not committed to attending the debate.
The “Fair-Side Chats” will take place between August 10 and August 18 at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines. The fair is known for its staple fried foods on sticks and iconic butter cow sculpture, but it also serves as a crucial opportunity for candidates to connect with voters.
A spokesperson for Mr. Trump, Steven Cheung, confirmed that the former president plans to attend the state fair but not the interview with Governor Reynolds. Cheung stated that Trump looks forward to interacting with tens of thousands of Iowans in an open and unfiltered setting.
Among the other major Republican presidential candidates, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie will also not participate in an interview with Governor Reynolds. Christie’s campaign has prioritized competing in the other early nominating states of New Hampshire and South Carolina over Iowa.
However, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina and businessman Perry Johnson, along with the remaining major candidates, have agreed to attend the interviews.
Governor Reynolds expressed her excitement about the interviews, stating that the Iowa State Fair is the perfect venue for a conversation with the candidates, showcasing the best of Iowa.
Meanwhile, Governor DeSantis seems to be actively cultivating his relationship with Governor Reynolds. He has even mentioned considering her as a running mate should he win the nomination, praising her as one of the top public servants in America. Recent polls show DeSantis in second place in Iowa, trailing Mr. Trump by approximately 30 percentage points.
Governor DeSantis is scheduled to begin a bus tour of the Des Moines area, with plans to speak at a dinner for the Republican Party of Iowa. Most of the other candidates, including Mr. Trump, are also slated to speak at the event.