Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' ground game in Iowa, visiting all 99 counties, has put the pressure on former President Donald Trump, regardless of Monday's results, former Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., told Newsmax.
"The campaign feels very, very good," Barletta, a DeSantis campaign surrogate, told Saturday's "America Right Now." "The governor's excited. Nobody has worked harder than he has in Iowa, and I think many people, many of the pundits, are underestimating the hard work that Gov. DeSantis has put in in Iowa.
"You know, not only, Gov. [Kim] Reynolds, but also there have been 42 state legislators who have endorsed him, 120 faith leaders, 26 sheriffs. He's visited all 99 counties. He has 30,000 people committed to caucus for him, so I think a lot of people are underestimating how he'll do."
That has put the pressure on Trump to meet expectations that have been "high," potentially giving DeSantis some momentum by outperforming modest expectations against the popular former president, Barletta told host Tom Basile.
"I think, Tom, the pressure really is on President Trump, because everyone is assuming that he will not only win, but he'll win big and they've been talking about that for months and months, leading up to the caucus on Monday," Barletta said. "So I think if he underperforms that high number everyone's anticipating he'll get, I think that is the bigger story there, so we'll see."
The ground game takes on a higher importance with the winter storm in Iowa and forecasts of "sub-zero temperatures" potentially keeping caucusgoers from the polls Monday, Barletta added.
"Those that are have committed to Gov. DeSantis and his hard work are going to show up," he said. "So I think the bigger story is on how will President Trump perform."
DeSantis is the youthful option — and the tested conservative, having governed and won against more progressive opponents in Florida — to be the best alternative to Trump and President Joe Biden, according to Barletta.
"I think he's in a good position," he continued. "I think his record stands for itself, and I think he has the leadership, the youth, and the energy to be a great president."
Having placed a large onus on Iowa puts DeSantis in a precarious position if it does not work out, but Barletta said the strong ground game — no matter the Iowa winner — will keep DeSantis in the race.
"I don't believe that" DeSantis would suspend his campaign if he were to be disappointed in Iowa, Barletta said.
"I believe he's in it for the long haul, and again his organization so far ahead of Iowa," he concluded. "Iowa's one state and obviously it's a lot of excitement. We can't wait.
"But, remember, it's one state and not everyone who wins Iowa goes on to be the nominee, and that has been proven, so I don't think there's any reason for Gov. DeSantis to get out, regardless of the results on Monday, but I think he's going to do very well.
"He's in it for the long haul."
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