Staff Reports
In Sioux City, President Trump made a grand entrance at the Orpheum, but before he took the stage, the crowd was treated to a surprise appearance by none other than Dr. Ben Carson. The soft-spoken brain surgeon, who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development during the Trump administration, stepped up to endorse the President, drawing cheers and applause from the crowd.
Ben Carson Endorsement, Biblical Themes Lead Trump Campaigning in Sioux City
On the fringes of the real American West in the Orpheum, President Trump balanced talk of war, peace, and the eternal as he courts the evangelical in Iowa.https://t.co/XSjkZ0d23a
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) October 30, 2023
Dr. Carson didn’t hold back in his endorsement, stating, “They’re trying to throw God out of our country.” It was a strong statement that resonated with the evangelical voters in attendance. And it wasn’t just Dr. Carson who brought up religious themes at the event. The campaign email sent after President Trump spoke proudly announced endorsements from “over 100 Iowa faith leaders,” including pastors, ministry leaders, and elders.
The focus on biblical values shouldn’t come as a surprise. In past Iowa GOP caucuses, candidates who have cultivated a conservative, religious image have come out on top. Names like Rick Santorum, Ted Cruz, and Mike Huckabee come to mind. However, with the unpredictable Trump presidency, it’s hard to say how this formula will play out.
One thing is clear though, President Trump can’t afford to rest on his laurels. Despite his strong polling ahead of the Iowa caucus, candidates like Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are bidding for the support of evangelical voters who have a strong allegiance to Israel. And with the ongoing conflict in the Holy Land, that support becomes even more crucial.
The President’s speech at the Orpheum showed his ease in courting the evangelical bloc. He spoke with a rare mix of seriousness and irreverent humor, drawing laughter from the crowd. He criticized President Biden’s foreign policy and poked fun at the administration’s plans for electrifying the military fleet. But it wasn’t all jokes – he reminded the audience of his record on keeping America, Israel, and the world safe.
In the traditionally less pro-war Upper Midwest, President Trump emphasized his avoidance of wars as president. He also took the opportunity to praise Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán for his strong stance on keeping illegal immigrants out of his country. And when it came to COVID-19 policies, the former president made it clear where he stood, declaring, “I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate or a mask mandate.”
But even as President Trump confidently spoke to the crowd, a heckler tried to derail the event by questioning the integrity of the 2024 election. The heckler was promptly escorted out, demonstrating that not everyone in the audience was a fan of the former president. Nevertheless, the show went on, and President Trump continued to captivate the crowd with his unique blend of charisma, humor, and unabashed conservatism.
