By DI Opinions Staff

Hannah Pinski (Opinions and Amplify Editor): Did you guys hear that former President Donald Trump visited and held a rally in Des Moines on Oct. 9?

Sophie Stover (Opinions Columnist): I thought he might announce his 2024 plans, but he instead continued to lie about the 2020 election, and stoked fear about the southern border, as per usual. But, as Rolling Stone pointed out, Trump may defer his candidacy announcement for a couple of reasons. By waiting longer, he won’t get blamed if Republicans fare poorly in the 2022 midterms. Additionally, it’s much easier for Trump to avoid financial scrutiny if he officially stays out of the race.

Shahab Khan (Opinions Columnist): Well, I think for all intents and purposes, he is going to run — and win the Republican nomination. He still has incredible sway over the Republican base. What’s going to be interesting is if the Republican elite are going to let him just cakewalk through the primaries, or are they going to actually take measures to prevent him from winning the nomination.

Sophie: Sen. Chuck Grassley willingly and enthusiastically accepted Trump’s endorsement. “I was born at night but not last night. So, if I didn’t accept the endorsement of a person that’s got 91 percent of the Republican voters in Iowa, I wouldn’t be too smart. I’m smart enough to accept that endorsement,” Grassley said according to an article from the *Daily Iowan*. Based on that statement, I’d guess the nomination will be a cakewalk for Trump, at least in Iowa.

Hannah: It’s no surprise that he is continuing to spread election misinformation. He claimed that he had “won Wisconsin by a lot,” which is a ridiculous claim. President Joe Biden won with more than 20,000 votes than Trump.

Shahab: I mean, the truth does not matter to Republicans, particularly in states where the Republicans control the legislature. They have already taken measures in some states to bring the certification process for elections under the control of partisan legislatures.

Sophie: There’s a chance he could run third party if he doesn’t become the nominee. This is doubtful though, because Trump as a third-party candidate would almost certainly result in Republicans splitting the vote.

Hannah: Thousands of people showed up to the rally in Des Moines, so he already has significant support here. A lot of people support his police positions, such as his immigration and border policy and government spending. In fact, 91 percent of Iowan Republicans have a favorable view of him.

Shahab: He has significant pull within the Republican base. The party itself is slowly becoming a cult of personality in which loyalty to Trump serves as somewhat of a litmus test. As Sophie mentioned, Grassley enthusiastically backs Trump due in part to secure his election chances.

Sophie: The GOP is beholden to the former president, and all signs lead to him becoming the nominee in 2024. I hope Mitch McConnell can recall what happened on Jan. 6 and rally the GOP to move beyond Trump.

Hannah: I’m not in support of him being the nominee for the Republican Party. With his inflammatory and racist comments, spreading misinformation, and what happened on Jan. 6, he’s clearly not qualified to be in any position of leadership.

Shahab: Not to mention his administration’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the deaths of 400,000 Americans. For that reason, coupled with the things he had done, I do not think he should get anybody’s vote.

Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.