Casey DeSantis’ remarks on Friday telling out-of-state moms to “descend” on the Iowa caucus has some on social media accusing her of urging voter fraud.
Casey DeSantis is the wife of Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida and a prominent candidate seeking the GOP presidential nomination in 2024. Throughout the official campaign, she has been positioned at the forefront, with her own page on the official campaign website detailing her personal and professional background, as well as her various initiatives as the first lady of Florida. However, just as her husband has been the subject of scrutiny over his various anti-LGBTQ+ and “culture war” political pursuits, Casey DeSantis has also received a wave of backlash from detractors.
During an interview with Fox News on Friday, Casey DeSantis called on supporters of her husband’s presidential campaign to spend some time in Iowa to be part of the GOP caucus, claiming “you do not have to be a resident of Iowa to be able to participate.”
“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,” she said.
Newsweek has reached out to DeSantis campaign via email for comment.
CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP/Getty Images
However, Casey DeSantis later clarified in a post on Friday that her call was for volunteers, not out-of-state voters, writing on X, formerly Twitter,” While voting in the Iowa caucus is limited to registered voters in Iowa, there is a way for others to participate. I’m calling on mamas and grandmamas from all over the country to come volunteer in support of Ron DeSantis in the Iowa caucus.”
In addition, the Iowa GOP issued a reminder on its X account on Friday that “you must be a legal resident of Iowa and the precinct you live in and bring photo ID with you to participate” in the Iowa caucus.
The Iowa caucuses—the first contest in the Republican nominating calendar—are scheduled on January 15. A win in Iowa is typically seen as a solid indicator of who will eventually secure their party’s nomination.
Former President Donald Trump is currently leading in the polls in the state with 44.7 percent of the vote against DeSantis (17.5 percent) and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley (15.3 percent). The former president also leads the overall Republican primaries, with about 60 percent of the vote.
Casey DeSantis’ comments follow the “Mamas for DeSantis” initiative, which the Florida first lady announced a national launch of in July at an Iowa rally. The initiative started last year in support of DeSantis’ gubernatorial reelection campaign that it said mobilized 1.1 million mothers.
A webpage for the initiative on the DeSantis 2024 campaign website says it “is bringing together millions of fired-up mamas ready to stand up for their children’s futures and put an end to the woke mob’s hostile takeover of the lives of parents, children, and families across the nation.”
Meanwhile, X users accused Casey DeSantis of urging voter fraud due to her Friday comments.
Author Stuart Stevens wrote, “This will backfire in Iowa. Iowans actually like the Iowa Caucus to be about…..Iowans. And is hillarious [sic] for a guy who is obsessed with voter fraud. This campaign started with Casey DeSantis tweeting a video that compared her husband to God and is ending with admitting Iowans have rejected him. What a ridiculous campaign.”
Dr. Darrell Scott, a pastor and former Trump adviser, wrote: “Casey DeSantis sent out an APB to DeSantis supporters nationwide to participate in a Voter Fraud Operation in Iowa!”
X user Isabel Santos asked, “Is Casey DeSantis telling people to commit voter fraud? Casey DeSantis just asked Moms and Grandmoms from around the country to come to Iowa and illegally participate in the caucus to support Ron DeSantis. Fact check: you have to be a resident of Iowa to participate in the caucus.”
Former editor at Chicago Tribune and Sun-Times, Mark Jacob, wrote on X, “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? She’ll have to plead ignorance, because the alternative is worse.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.