here's why you should switch fo to duckduckgo on all your devie duckduckgo comes with a built-n engine like google, but it's pi and doesn't spy on your searchs and duckduckgo lets you browse like chrome, but it blocks cooi and creepy ads that follow youa from google and other companie. and there's no catch. it's fre. we make money from ads, but they don't follow you aroud join the millions of people taking back their privacy by downloading duckduckgo on all your devices today. in order for small businesses to thrive, join they need to bepeople smart, efficient, savvy. making the most of every opportunity. that's why comcast business is introducing the small business bonus. for a limited time you can get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. yup, $1000. so switch to business internet from the company with the largest fastest reliable network. give your business a head start in 2024

with this great offer. plus, ask how to get up to $1000 prepaid card with qualifying internet. [applause] >> good evening, and welcome to iowa. or i contest of the 2024 presidential race is now just 11 days away. we are live in grandview intercity for a special night of back-to-back cnn town halls. i'm caitlin collins and tonight two of the leading republican candidates are here. florida governor ron desantis and former south carolina governor and former u. n. ambassador nikki haley. they'll take questions from

iowa voters, setting the stage for the first one on one presidential debate, live on cnn, here in iowa next week. we are giving both candidates opportunities to make their closing arguments to iowans as they battle against one another and against the front runner in this race, former president donald trump. first up, tonight governor ron desantis, who is aiming for a strong showing in iowa with the support of the state governor, kim reynolds. he'll answer questions directly from iowans, on the issues that will help determine who wins the republican nomination. and i will have some questions of my own. and the audience here with me tonight are voters who say they plan to participate in the iowa republican caucus, both registered republicans and voters who planned to register as republicans. to find tonight questioners, we cast a wide. mid soliciting help from various organizations including business, groups farm associations, parent group, young professional organizations, religious groups and also conservative advocacy groups. guests of the desantis campaign and grandview university are also here tonight, but they

won't be asking any questions. with us everyone here to be respectful to each other and to governor desantis, so voters in the room and you at home have a chance to hear from the candidate himself. now, please welcome florida governor ron desantis. [applause] >> thank, you thanks so much. [applause] great to be back at grand view. thanks cnn. i heard the other day someone site kaitlan collins had some basketball skills. on about that was a mistake or not, but i know in iowa they have caitlin clark. so i wanted to give you this as a memento. [applause] and just respectfully, if the games on the line and we need a buzzer beater, i'm going with clark over collins. >> rest assured, her free throws are much better than, might governor. but thank you so much for that. thank you. and good luck to her playing against rutgers on for tonight.

governor, thank you for being here. as you know, 45 minutes away from here perry high school, earlier today, in perry, iowa, there was a shooting. a sixth grader was killed. five others were killed, including a school administrator on their fourth back on winter break. we've got questions from voters and the audience about this tonight. so to, i want to turn to jennifer, who's. here she is a childcare provider from des moines. a republican who says she is undecided in this race. thank you so much for being here, jennifer. go ahead. >> hi, how are you doing? >> how are you? >> i'm. well in light of the shooting today, and without taking away any gun rights, what would you do to address the issue? >> first, our hearts go out of the people of perry. i've been able to spend a lot of time in dallas county. it's great folks there. to have these kids go back, the first day, after christmas break, this is a tragedy. to lose a sixth grader, my wife and, like we have a first grader, a kindergartner, and a

preschooler. so, when you send your kids school, you want to be focused on the academics and the activities. the physical safety should not be an issue with our schools. and parents need to have confidence and. so i think what we'll do is support efforts like i did in florida. when i became governor, it was on the heels of the worst school shooting would head and history of the state. and i was charged with implementing reforms to be able to provide security for schools. so we've done everything, school resource officers, help with hardening. but also help identify students that are exhibiting really problematic behavior. one of the tragedies that came out of that moderates diamondbacks back in florida was the four people even had unaffected, most of the people in that community already knew who did it because there were so many warning signs. we're getting more information about what happened in perry, but it seems like this student had some serious, serious problems. we do things like behavioral threat assessment to take necessarily so that there can

be an intervention, if they're committing criminal acts, hold him accountable and not have mental health problems we've got to deal with that. >> governor, i'm glad you brought up the laws and florida. because right now, a state senator from florida wants to eliminate that mandatory three -day waiting period to buy a rifle or a shot down in your state. that is one of the changes that if it was eliminated, would undo something put in place after the parkland shooting. do you support eliminating that waiting period? >> i think that background check should be instant. you have the thing, somebody goes, you can run them, you can see a throws a criminal conviction, if they're a felon. obviously they paying. if they have mental health adjudication, then of course there are going to pay. but i think you want to be instant background checks. so that i support. >> so you don't support the three that william perry? >> i think it's been fun. >> you'll be okay with eliminating it? >> i think it should be instant background checks. this is somebody that people go law-abiding citizens, exercising their rights, you

shouldn't have to be on a mandatory waiting period. instant checks will do the job. >> i want to turn to another voter and some other issues that are here on the minds of i look at tonight. this is kurt ellis, and operations manager -- operations coordinate from grimes, iowa. a republican who says he's undecided. thanks for being here. was your question? >> good evening, governor. donald trump is leading by significant margins in polling, politically here in iowa. what do you consider that winning performance in iowa and what is your strategy past iowa? >> nobody's leading until you guys get to vote. so i actually believe in the process. i've gone to all 99 counties. i've shown up, i've answered questions. you'll see me on the debate stage next week here in iowa, on january 10th. donald trump's not willing to show up on the debate stage. has he come to communities and answered questions? has he gone to not counties? has he gotten on candies? that's not the way to do it. so voters get to make this decision. don't let the media pick the

candidate. let voters decide. this is a long process. i've put in a lot of time in iowa because i think to 99 counties is the way it's done here. people want to be able to ask you questions. they want to be able to shake your hand. so i've got it because that's what iowans expect, to do the whole grassley. we're going to be doing a lot of stuff in subsequent slides. you've got to win a massive amount of delegates and we're gonna be in a situation where we are gonna be competing and it's gonna be a long, arduous process. but iowa start it off. you guys get to make that decision. don't let the media or the pundits make that decision. vote for her you think could be the best president of the united states. i'm here to tell you. i think the choice is clear. donald trump is running for his issues. nikki haley is running for her doners issues. i'm running for your issues, for your family issues, and to turn this country around. [applause] >> he mentioned how the former president's leading

significantly in polls. i know you dismiss some of those post and site you will see what happens on the 15th. you just referenced what you believe trump it's running on, using his own issues. you said before, you don't think it is i'm candidate he was in 2016. what should voters in iowa know about what you think a second trump presidency, a second trump term would look like if they do pay cam over you? >> here, look. we saw what happened in the midterms in 2022. remember, they said this was gonna be a red wave. you had a right wife and iowa and florida because governor reynolds lead and because i lead. we won historic victories. the rest of the republicans in the senate, house crashed and burned. donald trump's handpicked candidates lost because the democrats have a playbook they can run. it was effective in 2018, it was effective in 2020, 2021, 2022, even this year in 2023. so don't repeat that.

the democrats want trump to be the candidate. they're gonna talk about all that legal stuff, january 6th. that will people the election will be about. you don't want to be a referendum on trump and the past, you want to be a referendum on biden's failures. on our positive vision for this country. i offer that. and by the, way you need somebody to conserve two terms. you're gonna go and there is a lame duck president, even if you could get elected. i don't think that's how it works. we need a change agent in washington. someone who's gonna go and, they're actually unwind the bureaucracy, which trump promised to do and didn't do. we need a president tight gonna stop the border invasion by building a wall, which trump promised to do but didn't do. we also need somebody who's gonna be willing to deport illegal aliens. donald trump said he would in 2016, hit have largest deportation in history. he deported less than barack obama did in obama's first term. i will actually get the job done and what will hold that mexican drug cartels accountable for the carnage they're closing and this country. very killing tens of thousands of our fellow americans. when i'm president, we're gonna

designate them as foreign terrorist organizations. donald trump had and opportunity to do that. he didn't do it, i will. [applause] >> i'm glad you brought immigration. we have a question on immigration from joseph, a business consultant from des moines. he's the iowa laboratory state shear. he knows his case of republican and he's undecided. joseph? >> thanks for being here. governor, almost all illegal migrants crossing the border victoria backpack or bag. very few or could help members. if he were to shoot on sight, accepting women and children, how many people are you willing to have killed two killed one illegal drug deal? >> thanks for that but i take issue with the premise. when you are conducting military operations, you're not doing that willy-nilly. i'm the only one running for president who's served over seas in a war, and the iraq campaign. they didn't were uniforms. you had to positively identify people, hostile actions,

hostile intent. then you'll be able to engage. it's gonna be the same type of thing. and if it's an event like we do even domestically, when a police officer would engage. so it's not gonna be done the way the media, saying it's gonna be done. but ultimately. less i've been down. they're like cartel will cut holes in the actual border wall and that will come through with fentanyl. so my question to you and other critics, who don't say, many fentanyl deaths are enough? are we just supposed to sit here and let this happen? i think a president not only has right, i think you have a responsibility to fight back against these people. i am sick and tired of seeing a carnage in this country, and in my travels through iowa, i've met angel parents, people that have lost kids to fentanyl overdose. and a lot of times, these are not drug addicts. there may be a college student that's stressed out during exams so that might appeal, there it's gonna help them get through the night. and utterance puppets laced with fentanyl. that can be enough to poison that student today. so this is shattering families.

it's shuttering communities. the people and they see, they just trust your shoulder, they could care less about what's going on. i care about this. i care about defending american communities and american families. and so yes. they have killed more americans than all the terrorist groups in this world combined over the last five years. when is enough enough? [applause] >> do you think you would have the intelligence to that? >> absolutely, yes. look, we have surveillance. we have drones. we have until. we have a whole bunch of stuff. this is something, it's a matter of. will we can do it if we want to do it. and i would, know i was the candidate that camp out to do it. now you have other candidates that are, saying they want to do this. some had opportunities to do this in the past. others had not even support or things like what it was in the past. so we have been a leader on this issue. we're gonna continue to it. but here's the thing, as republicans. how many years have we've been

talking about the border and various iterations? it's been going on my and her adult life. is it about time we had a president that solved it, once and for all? i will solve it once and for all. >> a question on immigration, as well. something you said, you will take action to end the idea of birthright citizenship for kids of undocumented immigrants. does that mean ending birthright citizenship? what does that mean? >> the 14th, amendment obviously applies to u.s. citizens, it was meant to overturn dred scott for stanford, one of the worst supreme court cases in history, to ensure african american work citizens. in spite of what dred scott had, said petition. it was never the intent of set you can't illegally across the border, have a kid, all of us up that kid is an american citizen. that creates an anchor in society so given count deport the illegal aliens who came in. it's an incentive to come illegally. that was not the intention of that. so, yes. we oppose, we support american citizens, obviously. but when people are coming illegally, they do not have a

birth right at that point. that will get litigated by the supreme court, but unconvinced a court has never actually addressed that issue. and i think we would win on the law. because that's not what the 14th amendment was intended to do. >> that would be an executive order and you expect a bit like lunch -- >> of course. by the, way donald trump ran in 2016 saying hey what exactly what i just said. did he ever sign his name to end executive order when he promised voters it was going to do? it never signed it. what does he know how people in iowa at this time around? he says he's gonna do the same thing he didn't do the first four years. sometimes you can say, congress stymied you, all this other stuff. all he had to do is put his john hancock on a piece of paper and he did not do it. so look. when i tell you i'm into something, you can take advantage. i'm gonna do it. [applause] >> we have got another footer question, but that sounds like you're sitting republican

voters contrast donald trump. >> what i'm saying is, if you have run before, promised things, didn't deliver, and then you are running on the same things, wouldn't it be reasonable to say, gee, audit i contacted in the bank on forward? so, yes. i think he's campaigning on something, that does not mean he would actually follow through on. it >> we have marilou here, she's a retired army officer and educator from nevada, iowa. she says she's a republican who's on the hood. mary lou, thanks for being here tonight. what's your question? >> first of, all i want to thank you for your service, governor. >> likewise. >> i think only a veteran can really appreciate the sacrifice you and your family made. my question is, we have a 33 -year-old son who's a college graduate and professional, and he feels he will never be able to purchase a. home home ownership has long been a major part of the american dream. what do you plan to do as president to make homeownership more accessible to the middle

class? >> thank you for the question, and thank you for your service to this country. you are right. not only should we appreciate veterans but also a lot of spouses that have served veterans have carried a big load. it's a family effort and we owe update of corporate little. people coupled in, get interest rates down. the reason we have high interest rates because government has borrowed printed and spent ungodly sums of money -- both parties responsible for. they had driven to interest rates. up right now, the average price home, monthly mortgage payment, is twice as much as it would have been five years ago. if you hit a mortgage on the average home. some of those home prices have gone, but a lot of it is because of the interest. right the other thing we go to, do we need more housing supply in this country. i actually signed legislation and for agreement projects, politically fort workforce housing. because you have a situation where in some parts of the country, if you're a police officer or teacher or a nurse, you can't afford to live in the community where you work.

so we can expect cops to have to commute and our, are enough to go to some of these areas. then you have rural communities where there is a deficit of housing as. well so lower interest rates and more housing supply, but if we don't solve this issue, and it's housing is part of it, buying a home. but i think there is larger issues about people, young people are working hard, doing everything right, they're falling behind. it's almost cost prohibitive to raise kids in this economy. that taking the american dream away. we've got to restore the american dream, and it starts with getting a fiscal house in order. in florida, i've been governor. we've actually paid down 25% of our staged. it i've cut texas every year. our economies ranked number one of all 50 states by cnbc. we lead the nation in migration. income growth is top of the charts. number one education. we've shown how it's done. and we need to break that same level of success to the united states of america. [applause]

>> florida, as well, no income tax. you pull it other states should follow florida's late on that. if your president, would you eliminate the federal income tax? >> can i stop dreaming? wouldn't you like to eliminate the irs? i think i would eliminate the iris, have a single right, and just two of latex. i think that would be the ideal tech system, to be able to do, take away the distortions. what happens, as florida's a good example of this. we have low tax and we cut taxes and yet we attract more investment in our economy based expands. so i've on these big budget surpluses, where we are plant and it by lowering rights. i think, look at some other states with high taxes, that tax, they cause business to flee and individuals to flee. then they go back to the well and latex more and it's like a vicious cycle. so low rates, broad base,

ultimately is the best and most conducive -- >> you wouldn't pushed eliminate federal income tax? >> i want to eliminate the irs and i would like a flat one single right, flat tax, obviously not only do it if it was lower taxes for everybody. but that's the ideal texas tech. >> i want to bring in, eric and turning from pains, i'll. republican who says he's undiluted in this race. here are, what your question? >> governor, i vote primarily based on foreign policy. my question to you tonight is should the united states supplies ukraine with more advanced weaponry, including aircraft, with an aim to help them regain a captured territory? or should we just urge them to accept the partial loss of the territory? >> first of, all what we would do is, what are our top national security issues? hot at the top in this country is the border and china. and, so i think what people in the co2, but they're ignoring those security threats. they have done an awful lot of

money to ukraine, including money paying for things like pensions for bureaucrats, salaries, how is that something that is benefiting the american people? so what i've said about this is one, we need to bring into conclusion. i think europe needs to do more. to meet their nato obligations. ultimately, rodgers more of a four to them. that. not but as president, i'll be clear. you've got to be more money, there that are invade at nato. country as a president of the united states, nate it will be a red line. that will, not russia will not go after a nato country. when i'm president. >> you said bring it to a conclusion. does that mean and united states support for ukraine? >> it means and the conflict. i think we're now in a situation, biden can't even tell us what the income. is he will not articulate this. and as somebody that has served, i think the pitiful of u.s. foreign policy over the past 25 years, since the cold war, is getting involved in conflicts where we don't have a clear conception of what we're trying

to achieve, or we don't have enough support to be able to actually break it to a conclusion. so he will not articulate that and i, as president of the united states, if i'm gonna be obligating u.s. resources, i want a clear plan for what we're gonna accomplish and i want to make sure replicate. that he's not on. it's also just a case -- bidens weakness invited but lot of the problems that we're seeing around the world. how he left afghanistan was a total disgrace. it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of veterans who served over there, to see all that weaponry and all that stuff over there just taken by the taliban. 13 people killed. that was humiliating for this country. but that sent a signal to people like russia, iran, that now is the time to be able to start acting out. when i'm president, it's gonna be totally different. we're gonna lighten very clear markers and people are gonna

know, don't mess with the usa. [applause] >> can you apocalyptic endless means? because congress is talking about this right now. does that mean sending more u. s., money weapons to ukraine? >> what it means is bringing it to a situation where russia isn't a box and your own haven't wars break out into europe. that's our interest in. this to not have larger conflicts. and i think part of the problem with some of the people, who always want to get a sunday paramus conflicts, you run the risk of an escalation. i can tell you this, as president of the united states, i american service members came tied to the bank, parents of service members. we're not gonna send u.s. troops to fight in ukraine. >> what about u.s. weapons? >> i think europe should supply the weapons. i'm willing to help europe within the confines of our overall national security strategy, bring it to a conclusion. but we were behind and what we need to do with china. we do not have adequate hard power to be able to deter china

from doing after a taiwan breaking out of the first island chain, which they want to do and would have major impact on this country. of course, there is nothing to secure our own southern border. that border is a threat to this country because hostile people are coming across the southern border. so we need to do, focus on our house here. and what bugs me about what's going on nbc's they ignore problems here in the united states, and refocusing on things when the world. i, mean it's an issue, it's an interest, but you can't put that over our own national security on our own borders. >> we also have cheryl young here with us tonight, governor. she's from winterset, iowa. she's a republican who says she supported you in this race. cheryl, what's your question? >> good evening. my question is, should abortion rights be controlled by the federal or state governments? >> thanks for the question and thank you for your support. i appreciate it. clearly, states have the primary role in this. because that's what it was all

of american history until 1973. so you have states like iowa that have a heartbeat bill. florida has enacted the hard people. other side of the. things that just, i think, for the country is right now. so we'll be somebody that will defend, particularly, that right of states to be able to -- we have a difference of opinion in this primary because donald trump has said that pro life protections, even at the state level, our, quote, terrible thing. he said that in relation to bills like what iowa did, the hard people. this is a guy who was at the march for life and january of 2020, and he said life was a gift from god. he said the unborn was made in the image of god. he said there should be protections. that's where he was saying when he was president at the march for life. now he's saying it's a terrible, terrible thing. so how do you reconcile those two views? did he flip-flop? did he not believe it at the time? but then to go even further, he

actually has said elevate this issue to the federal government. what he wants to do is find a time, i think he floated 18 or 20, weeks have that be the limit. but then override any protections that states have done that are more than that. that is not gonna be advancing the cause of life. so i think, for a pro-life voters in iowa, donald trump is taking positions that are way different than what he preferred to believe when he first ran for president in 2016. >> do you think donald trump is not pro-life? >> of course. not when you are saying that pro-life protections are a terrible thing by definition, you are not pro-life. when you set you want to have a federal law 18 weeks or 20 weeks, that would override a state like iowa, that has enacted product protection, that would mean more abortions, not less abortions. because very few abortions are happening that light, anyways. so he has flip-flop on this issue. i don't know if it's because of

political convenience or this is all where he always believed. but here. something some issues are pretty fundamental. how do you flip flop on something like the city of life? [applause] >> it's pretty remarkable, to hear you say, that governor. to say you don't think donald trump is pro-life. you mentioned the built up in florida, the six-week abortion bill to sign earlier this year. that built has exceptions. but those exceptions, i want to talk about. them for rape and insist -- only 15 weeks and only if she brings a police report, restraining order, medical record or court document to her apartment. for a fatal abnormality, that exceptional chorus of of from two daughters. do you think those limits are reasonable and women agree their reasonable? >> the florida legislature enacted a heartbeat bill with those exceptions. not every state has on. that iowa has done, that some of those that have not. but those exceptions are in law. i know those pressures that outlook of people have trump

feelings. about so i signed the legislation with those exceptions in law. rape, incest, ripe -- life of the mother, human trafficking, is what is that really terrible situations where you have the fatal emily. that's what i think that people wanted. and that was what lori choirs. >> you personally signed into law. you could have waited it if you didn't agree with it. do you think those are reasonable exceptions? >> those are exceptions that have been talked about for many, many years. and the legislature put them in very carefully. yes, of course i think the reasonable. >> you did sent a 15-week low before. that it didn't help exceptions for rape or insist. if your president, you've said you would support a 15-week ban -- >> here is the thing. the reason why it wasn't is because there was no recent required at all for up to the 15 weeks. that's what they didn't put it in. when you're talking about a heartbeat, it's a different -- there is a credential judgment that legislatures are making. but i've said i support exceptions and would support exceptions.

>> i want to bring an ronald, a medicare insurance agent and retired farmer from ankeny, iowa. thanks for being. here he's a republican who's said he supporting nikki haley and the. he's also have it not federal, thank you for your service as well. what's your question for the governor? >> thank you. >> first, off from one veteran to another, i respectfully thank you for your service to our nation. >> likewise, thank you. >> please give me your definition of patriotism. did the january 6th insurrectionists display patriotism, as some of them claim they did? >> no, of course not. that was not a good day for the country. i think the media has taken that and i think the left has taken that. and really try to politicize it. but it was not a good for the country. patriotism, to me, is willing to put yourself out there and put surface above self. you served, anyone that serves in the military, their writing a check, payable to united states america for and about up to and including your life.

you don't know where they're gonna send you. you don't know what you're gonna do. but your pursuing a higher purpose. so to, me that's noble. we've had a lot of problems in the military, now, with recruiting. recruiting at a generational low. in this country. since the venom or. i think there's a lot of reasons for that. i will rectify that. part of it is, we have a president elected who's been a veteran since 1988, a president who serve in a foreign conflict. i'll be the first to do that. and i'll take as a political, that, woke buttons militaries -- but we are going to hold military service as being something that a noble cause. ronald reagan was inspiring when he would talk about some people who had spent a lifetime not knowing whether limited their friends, but a u.s. marine johnson has a problem. john f. kennedy said people can't look back on their life with a great deal of satisfaction saying i served in the united states navy. so this is something i think

very important. i'll be indicative miller service. i will talk about that being a worthy endeavor for young people to pursue. and we are gonna solve this problem, we are gonna get more people signing up. [applause] >> i want to ask about the limits you think could have as president. the former president keeps claiming he can be prosecuted for anything happened while he was an office. because he has presidential immunity. if you're the nominee and elected president, do you think you have blanket presidential immunity? >> i'm gonna, you take an oath to support and defend the constitution. i did it when i commission as an officer. anyone who served in the military does it. i took it out as governor, as president you are taking an oath to take care of the laws, faithfully executed and preserve, protect, and defend the constitution of the united states. so i mean will bat already with that obligation in mind. and i don't think something is constitutional, i'm to the bound to oppose it. that's just the nature of the job.

so i make constitutional judgments all the time. doesn't mean accord always agrees with it. but i'm going through that analysis. for example, if congress and be a piece of legislation, but i think violates the constitution, even if i think it's a good idea policy wise, i am to be done to veto it. and i will do that. so -- i'm gonna wield article to power to the fullest extent to be able to advance the agenda that i'm running on, and we're gonna be able to deliver big victories. but that means something to me and i will satisfy that oath of office. by the way, talk about what your phone, now joe biden took an oath to cure that the laws be faithfully executed. is there anybody in this room that thinks he's sums funk that us when it comes to our southern border? i don't think. so >> what about blanket presidential immunity. the president can do whatever they want. do you agree with it? >> if you're abiding by the constitution none of that is gonna measure of the point. so follow the law, for all the

constitution. this stuff gets into the weeds, legally, about what can happen to a president went to leave office. based on conduct that may or may not beneficial. it's not from a dedicated. i can tell you this. no one at me, i'll get elected, all serve. we want you to be discussing these issues. we'll be discussing your issues. you are not gonna have to worry about my conduct. i'll cannot myself in a way you can be part of. i'll cannot myself in a way you can tell your kids. that somebody you should emulate. and will have success as a result of that. [applause] >> a lot of references obviously to the former president. you said you believe has indictments have just one of the primary. do you think he's leading in this race because of his indictments? >> look, there are things that happen when you're running. first things you can control. i can control how i enter your questions. i can control how hard i'm gonna work. like i've chosen to do the knock on, these other candidates have. and there is a thing you can control. how these and, tevin how the media. all this other stuff.

clearly it's had an impact. but what i would tell primary voters is whatever maybe beneficial in the primary, doesn't mean it's beneficial info general election. i think that's 1:24 election worth emigrated to run against the candidate that is going through all this stuff, that's gonna give the democrats and advantage. you don't have to agree with the stuff that was done. that's the reality. we end up in a situation where we are putting the future of the republican party and the future of nations, perhaps, in the hands of 12 jurors in heavily democratic d. c., which is likely to be a very stacked left-wing jury, that if they somehow convict that the democrats are going to win the election. what do we want to even go down the road? let's focus on your issues. let's focus on biden's failures. let's focus on how we're gonna be able to turn this country around. i'll be somebody that focused on that. but then even more importantly, as president, i'll be disciplined indeterminate to deliver on all those things it's not gonna be let me.

i've got young kids, my wife and i will be back. uff azen or family. that's gonna be the extent of oregon. we'll be laser focused on your issues. >> governor, stick around. we have many more focused pushing for you. we'll be right back in a moment with more from republican presidential candidates, governor ron desantis. [applause]

[applause] >> welcome back to cnn republican presidential town hall with government desantis. you talk about your family a lot on the campaign trail. he often see your wife, casey desantis, your children with you. i want to ask you about a loss you experienced in your life with your sister, your family and 2015. your younger sister kristina died suddenly -- she was 30, result about mary. how to that loss change you? >> well, look. when you go through having somebody that's in your immediate family, i'm, ain't that the laws that i think hits you the most. part of it was just how subpoenaed bugs. she was living a great life. she was having fun and she got checked into the hospital, she seemed to be stable. then a couple days later, could. so, one. i think about all the things

we've done since. then she would have been a great and to her nieces and nephews. i would have lived for them given able to get to know her, she obviously would have done a lot of great things with her life. she would have been potentially involved in some of the things we've been to one. but what it shows you is don't take anything for granted. you just never know what's gonna happen. and, so if there's ever a time when you feel you need to do something, don't just sit back on the sidelines. you go in and you do. because you never know what angela you're gonna have in the future. so tentative rented. tell your people close to you that you love them. and just try to live your best

at the whole picture and making sure that we had this very important human interaction respected and protected. [applause] >> that question about being governor, being on which, of whether or not you make mistakes on the job. there is another governor in this race. chris christie. he recently said something about a mistake he believes he made while he was governor. he said that was on camera. that he was wrong, he admits it, and he says true leaders admit went the wrong. you have previously said the definition of marriage is exclusively between man and -- we have abided by that in florida, if in the constitution defines as it met the woman i think what we need to recognize as you are going to have people try to yield power against our religious institutions, and trying to marginalize them simply by upholding the biblical definition of marriage. -- to be able to do what has

always been than and how they consider marriage as a sacrament. so in terms of the church, that's just what it is. not in terms of the supreme court decision with civil law, state, we had a different policy. before i was governor. so the state of florida has with because. that >> we've got another voter with us, a student at iowa state university from ames who grew up on a family farm. the vice chair of the iowa federation of college republicans. he says he's undecided, not going to -- >> growing up on a family farm and studying, this is something we talk an awful lot about. for many years, rural areas have been declining population which can lead to poverty, limited opportunity, and higher prices. what are the reasons for this and what will you do to build up rural communities? and you said you are iowa state? >> iowa state, yes.

>> i was at the game this, year and you have a tough one and have a lot of florida high school players and of course the governor here is an iowa state gratz. i didn't hear anything -- about iowa state. mice -- you in iowa have this machine shed restaurant. my wife and i, we do it cracker barrel with the kids. and i was like, we've got to try machines. my son is five years old, he's like a sports nut. he got a checkered board model after the iowa state football field. so he now loves iowa state, because he has that checkerboard. and then he also, he also has gotten to see the iowa stadium. if we were actually watching the iowa game, with some supporters over the weekend. and so they got him a nice i wish, or he's got iowa socks and everything. i was on the campaign trail

with him the morning of the iowa michigan big ten game. and i didn't rehearse this with him, he came up on the stage with me, i have the microphone and i said hey buddy, who's going to win iowa versus michigan? and i'm moving the mic down to him, and i think myself oh my gosh, this kid says michigan, he's going to get booed here in my eilat five years old. he was so clutch he's, like iowa, and -- now to get to your question. rural communities are part of the backbone of america, and i've been able to see that firsthand traveling to all 99 counties in iowa. i've also been able to see it in my home state of florida. i mean, some people that are from florida, you think south beach, or you think attractions in orlando, or you think if you are in the midwest, a lot of these places. great areas, but you know we have a lot of rural counties in

our state. i was the first governor to do public events in all 67 florida counties. there were people that had never seen the governor before and some of our rural counties. we've worked to do or rural broadband, infrastructure, things that are really really significant. so a couple of things. one, i understand the importance of agriculture for our country. it's not just an economic issue, food security is a national security issue. and i think we are more secure and better when we have family farms that are viable and that can pass that down from generation to generation. i don't want everything to be massive corporations, we need to eliminate the death tax on these family farms, so they can pass it down without paying taxes. [applause] we also need to recognize that the cost of government and bureaucracy's run amok, like they say in i, what you have to go to the supreme court. there is a puddle on your property, and that's -- the united states, the epa can come in and have federal jurisdiction? no way, that is not right. but that in use of bureaucracy benefits the entrenched big companies at the expense of the smaller companies. so i think part of the answer for rural america's small business, and the emphasis on

that. and i think that's the backbone of whether our country is going to succeed or not. you know, you've got these guys on wall street, silicon valley, that's fine, but if we don't have those small businesses in these local communities that are able to succeed, we're not going to have the american dream. >> we have another voter here tonight, chad ryan, a hospice chaplain from huxley iowa. a republican he says that he is undecided in this race. chat, what is your question for governor desantis? >> governor desantis, thank you for being here. i would like to hear you answer this question in the spirit of stability and humility. if you become president, what

is one aspect of president biden's leadership that you would hope to emulate. >> well thanks a lot, i appreciate that. look, we've got a myriad of policy differences, and i think the results have been very very poor. so i think on the policy, you're going to see differences. i tell you this though, we had a hurricane hit category five hurricane ian, in southwest florida. some of you know, because some of you have been down there. and it devastated southwest florida, it knocked out a bridge to pine island, and -- going to. we had millions and millions of people without power. now we had a great response, we had everyone lined up, the

quickest power restriction in history, search and rescue, all of these things. you know, democrat in the white house with the media, who would love to do it. you know, he could have tried to politicize it. and i'll give him credit, he didn't try to politicize it. i think when you have situations where there is national tragedies or disasters, , i trying to politicize it doesn't work, you've got to put the people first. and i will notice, with respect to the media, the media, the national media, they were down there and they wanted to make it an issue politically. i mean, i was running for reelection, that's what they wanted to do. when they are asking people are saying, oh my gosh, they had all these rescues, all the power went on in record time. we even rebuilt the bridge to pine island, people would say

would take six months, we took control that the state level. we rebuild it in three days. once they saw the national media, and they saw that things were going well, and that people were appreciative of the response, you couldn't find national media outlets and florida if you had a search warrant. they did not have a story, their story was to try to create conflict, and to try to demean the response. so that's just the reality. but i will say this, the white house under biden, they worked with us to put the people first. and as president, when we have these national disasters, i don't care if it's a republican governor like kim reynolds, who i'm very close with, or a liberal governor like newsom, who i've got some differences with. [laughter] when you have these situations, leaders have to lead.

and you've got to put politics aside. [applause] i >> think we are always happy when disaster responses go well, governor. we've got another voter here -- . she is a psychiatrist from west des moines, a republican who says that she is undecided in this race. what is your question for the governor -- ? >> hi governor desantis. >> hello. >> i have a question for you on mental health. lack of adequate health insurance, which covers diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders, is a significant problem for millions of americans. what are your plans for addressing this issue at the federal level? >> well thank you diana.

well, this is a huge issue. and this is an issue that in every corner of iowa, people are asking about. i mean, this is not something where a few people are talking about it, because we've seen this issue all across the country. we're going to do a couple of things. one, we're going to support efforts like we did in florida to provide more mental health resources in our schools. sometimes there's a stigma about seeking health, my wife, the first lady of florida has launched a program to focus more on resiliency. and it's something that athletes, famous people have gotten behind, and talked about it. it's created i think a lot of positive feedback with that. one thing we are not going to allow though in the schools, or we shouldn't allow, is the politicization of mental health, or to try to use mental health to advance an agenda. unfortunately, you see examples of this. there is woke ideology in some of. this can we please not try to politicize everything in this country? >> so i think for the youth i think it's important. the other thing i think is really important we've got to do a better job for our veterans. we have 22 suicides a day still with veterans. and as somebody who served post 9/11, we didn't have a draft.

you put a huge burden on a very small percentage of this country, and people did multiple to ploy friends and, marines, army, special forces. that is not normal to be deploying that much. you are going to come back, people are going to have invisible wounds of war. we do good about seeing if somebody has a physical wound, we haven't done as well about those invisible wounds. so how do you deal with it? the va ultimately is not going to be able to solve this problem by itself. it's too big of a bureaucracy,

it's too cumbersome. i'm going to fire a lot of people in the va, i'm going to have accountability, and the need to do a better job with the veterans. but we're going to like we did in florida, where we want to take a model that my wife started, with respect to welfare benefits, we're going to provide it to wealth or -- something like a care port -- okay, the va can do what they want, but they put that in this portal, we're going to invite veterans groups, charities, churches, businesses, individual volunteers, people that want to help the veterans. it's going to go out, and guess what you are going to see? you're going to see these folks come, they're going to offer very quick help, sometimes it's mental health services, or we have veterans clinics around this country. i've got charities in florida

that train service dogs to be able to help veterans who have symptoms of post matt extracts. you know, the suicide rate goes down. maybe it's something as simple as somebody that lives in the neighborhood, that is part of this portal and they say that this veteran is having a tough time. maybe they just go to his home, and say you know what, i just want to see if you're okay. can i take you out to lunch? that could be something, just the fact that you showed you care, that can be enough to avoid a suicide right there. but the bureaucracy is not going to save us, we need to use the va as a conduit for all of these other great resources. because in every part of iowa, and in every part of florida, and i think most parts of this united states, people value the service of these veterans, and they want to help. we've just got to link the veterans to all the services that can be utilized, and all the resources that are out there. [applause] >> governor, we've got another voter question for you. this is tamora thomas, a mother and grandmother from -- iowa. a republican who is also undecided in this race. tamar, what's your question for the governor? >> what do you think is your biggest strength that you have, if you are voted to be our next president. >> and is -- it >> tamora, you got. >> okay well, thank you for the question. vanmeter iowa, interesting. as a young kid who liked baseball, one of the day and dunedin florida where i grew up, there is a famous cry -- guy who call bob feler, one of the fastest pitchers ever. but you know when world war ii, it interrupted his career. most of these ballplayers were part of entertaining, they could just play ball and entertain the troops. bob -- said no, goin aa , and --

shoufeller. loo, i strength i tel i'm going to do so i don't just i am not just saying it t win an electio robably give me some more votes, that i so if i tell you i'm going to do something and you take the bank, we are going to deliver on. and the only one running for president that has delivered on 100% of my promisfaon somebody presithat has be it' wheth bfauci on cit's bee li c--buying land, a i've a i've deliver results. and i will>> governor, obviously the you've said prev trepublican? know t that party, lot hav party, lot hav the there's a lot of pi tgo a theto reverse we can do it, decline is a we can do it, decline is a have it within our and less prosper dp[app >> t desantis. nikkiyou vowh halhallburn