Trump faithfuls turn out in Davenport as he takes aim at Gov. DeSantis

DAVENPORT, Iowa — Monday, former President Donald Trump made his first visit to the state of Iowa since announcing his latest run for the White House.

Trump was in Sioux City a couple of weeks before that announcement in November, just ahead of the midterm elections, and he spoke in Davenport at the Adler Theatre Monday evening.

Supporters filed into the theater to see the former president, who is in the early stages of his third consecutive campaign for president.

Some of those supporters started lining up outside early Monday morning, with many traveling hundreds of miles to see the former president.

Although the crowd was smaller than four or eight years ago, there was the usual setup of street vendors selling shirts and other merchandise to those lining up early.

One supporter tells Iowa's News Now she is devoted to Trump and is not even looking at any of the other candidates in the race.

"We try to follow him almost anywhere within reason," Council Bluffs resident Jaimi Fay said. "What brought us here across the state is to show support for such a beautiful city and wonderful state, with all these wonderful folks here to make his day amazing, and he makes our life amazing."

The event started with a half hour discussion with local leaders touting the policies passed, or about to pass, the Republican-controlled statehouse.

Heavy focus was put on education in Iowa, as well as bills restricting what transgender teens and their parents can do before their child turns 18.

"I want to congratulate Iowa on recently becoming the second state in the nation to deliver on universal school choice." Trump said.

The former President also took aim at Democrats, claiming they have destroyed everything, he said, he made right.

"What they’ve done to our country in two years is unthinkable, standing before you today, I am the only candidate who can make this promise, I am the only candidate who will prevent WWIII," Trump said.

Trump also took jabs at Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, as polls show he is currently the greatest threat to Trump's attempt to secure the party's nomination a third time.

"He was very very bad on ethanol, and he was against social security, he wanted to decimate it and voted against it three times," Trump said.

A recent Iowa Poll found the race is currently Trump's to lose, but potential and current candidates like DeSantis, Nikki Haley and several others could pose a formidable threat.

That goes especially for those matching Trump in favorability, with more room to grow as voters get to know them.