Top Evangelical Slams Trump, Says He’s Done For in Hawkeye State: ‘I Believe Iowa Will Rise Up’ Against Him

Bob Vander Plaats, a top evangelical leader in Iowa, told the Blaze’s Steve Deace on Monday that he believes Iowa Republicans “will rise up” against former President Donald Trump when they head to the polls in January.

Vander Plaats endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in the 2024 GOP primary last week, raising the ire of Trump, who quickly took to Truth Social to complain.

Vander Plaats, who is president and CEO of The Family Leader, defended his endorsement while speaking to Deace and pulled no punches in lambasting Trump’s moral character – or lack thereof.

“Now, what you’re seeing from the former president is his character being revealed,” Vander Plaats began, adding:

First of all, with Governor Reynolds and what he did by cutting a video against her. Two of the most popular governors and the most results-producing governors in the country. The governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, the governor of Iowa, Kim Reynolds. And you completely throw them under the bus. You call them names and all that just because they don’t bow the knee to you. That’s not leadership.

The number one hurdle for Donald Trump is I’ve never met a dad or a mom or a grandpa or a grandma who have told me they want their son or daughter, grandchild to grow up to be like him. That’s a big deal.

“Trump deserved to lose my endorsement. Matter of fact, I’ve never endorsed him. But he proved he was not worthy of the endorsement of me, of the ministry, and by extension, the broader body. And I believe Iowa will rise up. I believe I will send a message on January 15th because I think they’re seeing it through this as well. This is smoke and mirrors. This is not leadership our country needs,” he concluded.

Notably, Vander Plaats has endorsed the winner of every competitive Republican Iowa Caucus vote since 2008 when he endorsed Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. He also endorsed former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania in 2012 and Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in 2016 – all of whom won the caucuses but went on to lose the GOP nomination.

Watch the full clip above via The Blaze.