Eight Republican presidential hopefuls attended the “Roast and Ride” event in Iowa to pitch themselves to prospective voters as the busy summer campaign season kicks off, with GOP frontrunner former President Donald Trump notably absent.
The combination barbecue-rally and motorcycle ride, hosted by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), saw declared and presumed Republican presidential candidates in attendance at the eighth annual event at the Iowa State Fairgrounds near Des Moines.
Official or presumed candidates speaking at the event were: former Vice President Mike Pence, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, Michigan businessman Perry Johnson, author Vivek Ramaswamy, and conservative talk radio host Larry Elder….}