Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' wife Casey, who has taken an active role in her husband's campaign, appeared to urge supporters who don't live in Iowa to travel there and try to vote in the caucus anyway, saying on Fox News, “We’re asking all of these moms and grandmoms to come from wherever it might be — North Carolina, South Carolina — and descend upon the state of Iowa to be a part of the caucus because you do not have to be a resident of Iowa to be able to participate in the caucus. So moms and grandmoms are going to be able to come and be a part and let their voice be heard in support of Ron DeSantis.”
According to Florida Politics, she swiftly walked this statement back, clarifying that, "they cannot vote in the caucus process, but they can come and volunteer and they can be a part of it in that way." And the Iowa Republican Party, while not mentioning Casey DeSantis by name, put out a statement on X clarifying, "Remember: you must be a legal resident of Iowa and the precinct you live in and bring photo ID with you to participate in the #iacaucus!"
The whole thing quickly became a subject of scorn and mockery on social media.
".@CaseyDeSantis went on Fox News today and called on people to be BUSSED INTO IOWA from other states to participate in the Iowa caucus. THIS IS ELECTION INTERFERENCE AND CHEATING," posted far-right activist and Trump ally Laura Loomer. "@RonDeSantis is basically a Democrat. This is what Democrats do. They bus people in. #Trump2024"
"Was it the plan for Casey DeSantis to reveal on national television the Florida GOP’s playbook of having out-of-state people vote in elections?" asked former DeSantis staffer turned anti-GOP activist Ron Filipkowski.
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"Is it possible that Casey DeSantis doesn’t know you have to live in Iowa to participate in the Iowa caucuses? After all the time she's spent there?" wrote former Chicago Tribune editor Mark Jacob. "She’ll have to plead ignorance, because the alternative is worse."
"This is Casey DeSantis letting us all know she’s done letting Ron talk and try to be a normal boy and force smiles," posted an account called @SarahBCalif.
DeSantis was once seen as the most credible challenger to former President Donald Trump securing the 2024 nomination, and early polls even showed him leading the field; however, his support has bled away over recent months, with the most recent polling aggregates showing Trump beating him by almost 50 points and DeSantis in danger of losing the second-place slot to former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.
