© Reuters. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks in regards to the coronavirus response throughout a gathering with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis within the Oval Workplace on the White Home in Washington, U.S., April 28, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/ File Photograph
By James Oliphant and Brian Snyder
CONCORD, New Hampshire (Reuters) -Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis supplied a stinging rebuke of rival Donald Trump on Friday, arguing that Trump would try to “de-legitimize the results” if he loses in an early nominating state resembling Iowa or New Hampshire subsequent month.
“If Trump loses, he will say it’s stolen no matter what, absolutely,” DeSantis stated at a marketing campaign occasion in Harmony, New Hampshire.
Video from the occasion was posted on social media by Fox Information Digital.
Former President Trump is closely favored each in Iowa, which holds its Republican caucuses on Jan. 15, and New Hampshire, which holds its major per week later. DeSantis, the governor of Florida, has been campaigning relentlessly of late attempting to shut the hole within the closing weeks.
In previous interviews, DeSantis has made clear that he believes Trump legitimately misplaced the 2020 election, one thing that Trump nonetheless publicly disputes. Trump has been charged each in federal court docket in Washington, D.C. and state court docket in Georgia with a number of felonies linked to his makes an attempt to undermine the election.
On the New Hampshire occasion on Friday, DeSantis famous that Trump additionally cried fraud when he misplaced the 2016 Iowa caucuses to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and certain will complain if he loses this time round. “I think that’s to be expected, but I don’t think people are going to buy it,” he stated.
A spokesperson for the Trump marketing campaign, Steven Cheung, responded to the remarks by charging that DeSantis had “turned to conspiracy theories and Democrat talking points.”
DeSantis additionally slammed Trump, who tends to favor massive rallies, for not doing extra small-scale occasions with voters.
“When was the last time he stood on a stage and just took questions from voters? Has he done that at any point during this campaign?” DeSantis stated. “How often has he been willing to go and really answer the tough questions?”
Current opinion polls have proven DeSantis far behind Trump in Iowa and trailing each Trump and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley in New Hampshire.
The Republican nominee will face President Joe Biden, a Democrat, within the November 2024 normal election.
