In Iowa next Saturday, “Top Nunn” will be joined by “Top Gov.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis will be one of the so-called “wingmen” at Rep. Zach Nunn’s “Operation Top Nunn: Salute to Our Troops” fundraiser, joining Sen. Joni Ernst for an event starting at 1 p.m. at the Ankeny Airport.
Veterans get in free. Others will pay.
Admission prices include the $24 individual ticket, the $500 “Wingman Level,” the $3,300 “Bombardier” status, and the $6,600 “Aviator” level.
DeSantis predicated messaging during his 2022 campaign on “Top Gun: Maverick,” which was in theaters at the time.
Appearing on the Aug. 13 2022 episode of the Glenn Beck Show, he blasted the Department of Defense for not living up to the standards of the durable Tom Cruise franchise, which he praised for appealing to “normal people” because it wasn’t “overwhelmingly woke.”
“DOD! I take my son to watch “Top Gun: Maverick,” right? And you’re proud of seeing the pilots and all that. Then in real life, what’s the Navy doing? They’re focusing on pronouns and all these other things, this woke garbage, while China’s laughing at us,” DeSantis lamented.
He also used the movie to explain why he doesn’t poll.
“Too many politicians, they get paralyzed by these polls,” he said in June. “A leader needs to understand where ‘true north’ is. You know, have you guys seen ‘Top Gun: Maverick‘? The Navy, like, we always know where true north is … these ships are out there, you’ve got these planes landing on the carrier, the jets,” DeSantis said, calling their efforts “really impressive” in remarks to the Boys State Program.
The DeSantis political operation also has pushed tribute merchandise, including black-and-white T-shirts ($30), posters ($25), and koozies (two for $15).
DeSantis’ next trip to Iowa comes in the wake of less than sterling polling.
A new survey conducted by National Research Inc. and reported by American Greatness reveals Donald Trump has more than double the support Ron DeSantis has among 500 likely GOP caucus participants next year.
The survey shows Trump with 44% support, with DeSantis drawing 21%, a 23-point lead well outside the +/- 4.38-percentage-point margin of error. Trump’s lead has grown from the 39% to 24% advantage he enjoyed a month prior.
U.S. Sen. Tim Scott’s 7% is good for third place, ahead of Chris Christie, Mike Pence and Vivek Ramaswamy (each at 3%). Nikki Haley (2%) and Asa Hutchinson (1%) are even farther back. Undecided voters make up 14% of the sample.
The Governor’s path is narrow, the polling memo says: “DeSantis is losing among voters who have a favorable impression of him. Twenty-eight percent of these folks say DeSantis is their preferred candidate while 42% chose Trump. Voters who have a favorable impression of both men chose Trump as well, 55% to DeSantis’s 25%.”
A National Public Affairs poll and the Race to the White House average for the state both show Trump leading DeSantis, 41% to 18%.
Trump was in Iowa Friday, where he messaged heavily about DeSantis’ previous opposition to ethanol subsidies. The former President has discussed this matter previously, in an effort to show DeSantis doesn’t support the priorities of the state’s corn farmers.
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