Iowa voters felt they were "robbed" in 2020 and weren't letting go" of President Donald Trump — sinking any chance for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to win the GOP primary there, former deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Ken Cuccinelli told Newsmax on Monday.
In an interview with "American Agenda," Cuccinelli, who launched the Never Back Down super PAC for DeSantis, said the governor "put in a monumental amount of effort in Iowa."
"We can't duplicate that level of effort once the calendar has gotten started," Cuccinelli said. "And while we beat expectations, or at least the late expectations, by beating Nikki Haley in Iowa… the goal isn't to beat Nikki Haley, the goal is to be the nominee, and it needed to be more competitive there I think."
According to Cuccinelli, Iowa "was not that important" for Trump.
"I spoke for the governor, as did many others in the caucuses, and I talked to Trump voters that night who love DeSantis," he said. "But they said, 'but I feel like I have unfinished business' or, you know, they reflect on 2020 and feeling like they were robbed and so forth, and they're not letting go of President Trump."
Cuccinelli said DeSantis' decision to withdraw from the race was helped by "feedback that's come back."
"He promised when he got in those Republican debates, he'd support the Republican nominee," Cuccinnelli added. "It's rather obvious that's it's going to be President Trump now and just like with the voters of Florida — promises made, promises kept — is what you can count on from Ron DeSantis, and he continues that even as he steps out of this presidential contest."
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Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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