Iowa Gov Says GOP Needs to Narrow Candidate Field ASAP

TotalConservative.com) – Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa would like to see the GOP field of potential primary candidates slim down, suggesting that they need fewer candidates on the field not more. Reynolds has stayed neutral, avoiding any endorsements ahead of the August 23rd primary debate, as she wanted to encourage all candidates to come to Iowa.

Speaking with “Fox News Sunday,” Reynolds called the current crop “a great field” of potential options. When asked about more people joining the race, she suggested that they needed fewer options instead of more. The question was prompted by reports of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin being tempted to join the fray by large donors.

She suggested that the point of the Iowa caucus and early primary was to begin the process of narrowing the field. The GOP caucus in Iowa is the first in the nation and it officially begins the GOP primary contest attempting to winnow down the potentials to find the best candidate for the general election. The whole thing kicks off in January 2024. Iowa caucuses are unique in that they have a tradition of voters moving around a large room to physically vote with their bodies and to demonstrate individual support for their chosen candidates.

Reynolds has remained personally neutral so that she doesn’t appear to be rigging the contest or discouraging less popular candidates from coming to the state to caucus. She has said that she may make an official endorsement at some point down the line. She encouraged all the candidates to visit every county in the state, suggesting the exercise is a real opportunity for candidates to connect with voters.

Trump criticized her neutrality in July, which earned him critique from other GOP members. Reynolds had appeared at a rally with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, largely understood to be the current runner-up for the GOP nomination. Reynolds’s claims to neutrality have been questioned by her collaboration with Casey DeSantis on “Mamas for DeSantis” and frequent past appearances where Reynolds and DeSantis shared a stage.