As expected, the influential evangelical leader of a top social conservative organization in Iowa endorsed Ron DeSantis on Tuesday. He did so on FNC’s Special Report with Bret Baier.

Bob Vander Plaats, president and CEO of The Family Leader organization, said that DeSantis sealed the deal during his participation in the Thanksgiving FAMILY Forum ’23 on Friday. I watched some of that event and I came away thinking that they all did well but DeSantis did the best. Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy were the other participants.

BREAKING: Faith leader @bobvanderplaats endorses Ron DeSantis for president.

“Gov. DeSantis took a reliable toss-up state in Florida and made it complete red — won by 20 points…He’s also done that by being a bold and courageous leader.”

Vander Plaats endorsed the Iowa Caucus… pic.twitter.com/6vXR2dxZiP

— DeSantis War Room 🐊 (@DeSantisWarRoom) November 21, 2023

Vander Plaats has a good record of the candidates he endorses going on to win the Iowa caucuses. The last three were Mike Huckabee, Rick Santorum, and Ted Cruz. However, Vander Platts has not had that success with the eventual Republican nominee and then president. The Iowa caucuses are scheduled for January 15, 2024, so it won’t be too long before we see if his endorsement boosts DeSantis in Iowa. Trump is at 47.0 percent in Iowa, ahead by 29.7 points over DeSantis, who is at 17.3 and Nikki Haley is in third place at 14.3.

So far, the endorsement by hugely popular Governor Kim Reynolds has not really moved the needle for DeSantis in polling. Yes, I know, polls don’t vote, people do. Maybe the polls will move now that Reynolds is joined by Vander Plaats. It’s a powerful combination of endorsements in Iowa, especially among evangelical voters. Iowa evangelical voters make up about one third of Republican voters in the state.

Trump skipped the Thanksgiving event with Vander Plaats last Friday night and one before that, too. He and Vander Plaats have a strained relationship. Vander Plaats thinks it is time for new leadership. “There’s definitely a shot that the former president can be beat here,” Vander Plaats told Fox News Digital in an interview last week.

The endorsement was confirmed by Vander Plaats to the Des Moines Register in an interview Tuesday.

“(DeSantis) is exceptionally accomplished. He’s campaigning the right way and building the infrastructure the right way,” Vander Plaats said. “He’s done the Iowa caucuses the right way. And I believe he’s proven he can win in demographics we need to win.”

Vander Plaats has long said the Republican Party needs to coalesce around a candidate to have any hope of taking on Trump. He pointed to Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds’ “historic” endorsement of DeSantis as well as endorsements from dozens of state legislators, conservative radio host Steve Deace, former Republican Party of Iowa co-chair Cody Hoefert and others as evidence that is happening.

“Those are people that can actually win a caucus,” Vander Plaats said. “And so I believe by lending my voice there, Iowa’s showing a coalescing around one candidate.”

The DeSantis campaign has focused like a laser on Iowa since DeSantis announced his candidacy. The campaign is reported to have a strong ground game in Iowa and well organized. DeSantis holds bragging rights to visiting all 99 counties in the state – he completed the “full Grassley.” His crowds are large and DeSantis is well-received. So far, so good.

DeSantis has begun to do the same work in New Hampshire. DeSantis has slipped in New Hampshire polls behind Trump, Haley, and Christie. Chris Christie has put all his eggs in this basket in hopes of stopping Trump. We’ll have to wait and see if any of the others can.

Awesome crowd in Keene, NH tonight for ⁦@RonDeSantis⁩! #RD24 pic.twitter.com/RtZ21omu7B

— Kelly Kundinger (@Kelly_Kundinger) November 21, 2023

The striking thing about the Republican primary is that the poll numbers remain so stagnant as the first caucuses and primaries rapidly approach. DeSantis remains in second place nationally and Trump maintains far ahead of the other candidates. In South Carolina, DeSantis is in third place behind Trump and Haley.

DeSantis needs a bust-out moment. He’s doing a debate with Gavin Newsom on FNC’s Hannity later this month. Then there is the fourth RNC debate in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on December 6. The partners with the RNC are NewsNation, The Megyn Kelly Show, the Washington Free Beacon, and Rumble. It’s a turn away from traditional media partners and I think it will be a breath of fresh air for a conservative debate.