Iowa Republican demands Trump and DeSantis pay him for endorsement of his 'Patriotic Tractor'

Gary Leffler, an Iowa Republican whose "Patriotic Tractor" has long been a staple of the Iowa Caucus scene, says he's now open for business when it comes to his 2024 presidential endorsement.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Leffler said that he's keeping his options open for the 2024 primary, although he was a staunch Trump supporter before.

However, there is only one factor that will determine which candidate gets the coveted backing of him and his "Patriotic Tractor": Whoever hands over more cold, hard cash.

The Post reports that Leffler has gone to both the Trump campaign and that of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to ask them about the possibility of paying for his endorsement, but so far he hasn't reached a deal with either one.

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"We don’t really look at it as a bidding war as much as my wife and I are praying and want to make sure we would feel comfortable in the direction,” Leffler told the Post. “We want to retire... We’ve been very upfront with both campaigns: we’re not doing it for free.”

The Iowa caucuses are a crucial early battle for Republican candidates, although winning them is not predictive of winning the nomination overall, as past winners of the caucuses have included Mike Huckabee and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), neither of whom went on to be nominated for the presidency.