GOP presidential hopefuls look to win Iowa’s evangelical vote

(NewsNation) — Republicans in Iowa unofficially kicked off the Republican primary season for 2024 with messages of faith, hoping to win over the pivotal Evangelical vote in the state.

The growing field of GOP candidates seems to be focusing in on faith, which plays an important part in how Iowans vote.

Former President Donald Trump got a lot of support from Evangelicals in Iowa in the 2016 and 2020 general elections, and the 2024 candidates will be hoping to pry those votes away from him.

“He taught me that if you have faith in God, faith in yourself, and faith in America, all things are possible,” South Carolina Senator Tim Scott said at the Iowa event.

Scott made his faith the centerpiece of his Iowa visit, telling NewsNation he met with dozens of pastors during his time there.

Former Vice President Mike Pence officially joined the pool of Republican presidential hopefuls, filing the official paperwork Monday. His bid sets up a historical challenge as he prepares to take on his former boss Donald Trump.

Pence has begun working to differentiate himself from former President Donald Trump, including this past weekend when he called out Trump for praising North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

Pence is one of three candidates set to launch their campaigns this week, including former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

The formal announcement of his presidential campaign is set to take place Wednesday in Des Moines, Iowa. He was there last weekend for Iowa Senator Joni Ernst’s Roast and Ride event, the unofficial launch to the 2024 Republican primary season.

At the barbecue-motorcycle rally, eight candidates took the stage to make their cases to the Iowa voters.

Noticeably absent among the candidates was Trump, the apparent Republican front-runner.