Iowa Republicans say they may look beyond Trump in 2024: "It's an open field"
CBSN
The first GOP presidential contest is nearly a year away, but Iowa caucus season is officially underway, as presidential hopefuls and potential candidates travel to the Hawkeye State. And voters there are ready — and keeping their options open.
On Monday, former President Donald Trump will make his first visit to Iowa since he announced his campaign last year. This week, the only other major Republican in the race, former Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley held town halls in Council Bluffs and Nevada before heading to Des Moines for a foreign policy forum with Iowa GOP Sen. Joni Ernst.
On Friday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made an appearance in the state, too, as part of his book tour. In several private conversations with donors and allies, DeSantis has indicated he is leaning toward running and will make a final decision after his legislative session is over, according to two people familiar with his team's private discussions.

The race to fill the seat of retiring Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin has been heating up in the days leading up to Tuesday's 2026 Democratic primary and could set the tone for other midterm primaries on issues like President Trump's deportation policies and outside spending. And another factor in the race is Gov. JB Pritzker's attempt at powerbrokering: he's given his endorsement and millions in campaign funds to his lieutenant governor, Julianna Stratton. In:

A man who was accused of planting pipe bombs outside the Republican National Committee and Democratic National Committee headquarters on the eve of the Jan. 6 attack in 2021 is asking a judge to dismiss the criminal charges against him, arguing he is covered by President Trump's sweeping pardons of alleged Jan. 6 rioters.

The Cuban government is planning to allow Cuban nationals who live abroad — including in the U.S. — to invest in companies on the island, a top government official told NBC News in an interview that aired Monday, as the country faces economic collapse and immense pressure from the Trump administration.










