Live updates: Ron DeSantis town hall in New Hampshire | CNN Politics

CNN town hall with Ron DeSantis

Elise Hammond

By Elise Hammond and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN

Updated 11:10 PM EST, Tue January 16, 2024

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN's Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024. (Will Lanzoni/CNN)

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Voter asks DeSantis about past Trump endorsements. Hear his response

1:44 • Source: CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN's Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024. (Will Lanzoni/CNN)

Voter asks DeSantis about past Trump endorsements. Hear his response

1:44

What we covered here

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis sought to differentiate himself from the rest of the GOP field during CNN’s town hall in New Hampshire on Tuesday night, a day after he finished second in Iowa’s caucuses.
The Florida governor attacked both former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley — while also touting his electability and record on the economy and immigration. DeSantis said Trump is too distracted by his multiple legal issues to focus on voters’ issues while claiming Haley doesn’t share the values of the GOP electorate.
DeSantis is facing major headwinds in the Granite State – a week before the GOP primary theire– as both Trump and Haley have led him in recent polling.
Tuesday’s town hall marks the latest in CNN’s series of Republican presidential town halls for the 2024 cycle.

Our live coverage has ended. Read more about the town hall in the posts below and see fact checks from the night.

25 Posts

Key takeaways from CNN's town hall with DeSantis in New Hampshire one week before the primary

From CNN's Eric Bradner, Gregory Krieg, Arit John and Daniel Strauss

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned in a CNN town hall Tuesday night in New Hampshire that Republicans are “going to lose” the 2024 election if they nominate former President Donald Trump.

The day after finishing a distant second to Trump – though just ahead of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley – in Iowa’s caucuses, the Florida governor fielded questions in New Hampshire at a town hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.

He used the event to make the case that with a conservative policy record, he would be better able than Haley to consolidate Republican support; and with less personal baggage, he’d be better positioned than Trump to win a general election.

Here are some key takeaways from the event:

DeSantis tries a go-everywhere, do-everything strategy: Trump won’t debate his Republican rivals. And, as of Tuesday morning, Haley says she won’t either, unless the former president shows up. That led ABC News to cancel plans for a Thursday night face-off, and it could spell the end of the 2024 GOP primary debates. But DeSantis wanted to make sure New Hampshire voters knew it wasn’t his fault — he had been up for it. “I’m the only candidate that actually agreed to come to New Hampshire to debate,” he said. “I’m the only one who’s not running a basement campaign at this point.” His comments demonstrated how DeSantis is looking for every possible opportunity to break through.
DeSantis questions Haley’s ability to unite Republicans: DeSantis offered a simple message about Haley: She cannot unite the GOP and win the nomination. Within that soundbite, though, was some insight into how he views the next stage of this race. It’s a clear appeal to the Never Trump voters who could decide the New Hampshire primary. DeSantis is, in effect, saying that if you do not want to nominate Trump, then he’s the guy people should support.
DeSantis loosens up: DeSantis sought to connect with town hall attendees in more personal ways Tuesday night. He talked about growing up in the 1990s and playing baseball — “It was like a holiday from history” that changed on September 11, 2001, he said. He asked a woman who posed a question about mental health if she had any advice. The looser, gentler DeSantis onstage in New Hampshire looked like a much different candidate than the one who entered the presidential race with a reputation as a brawler in Florida.

Read up on more key takeaways from the town hall.

Fact Check: DeSantis on migrants housed in a NYC school

From CNN’s Tami Luhby

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Asked about how he would address the issue of undocumented immigrants entering the US, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized New York City officials for shifting asylum seekers to a school for temporary shelter.

“New York City had to close a school,” he said. “You literally have kids told, ‘Don’t go to school,’ because they commandeered the school to be able to house illegal aliens.”

Facts First: DeSantis’ comment needs context. New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his administration moved 1,900 asylum seekers from a tent shelter in Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn to James Madison High School for one night last week to shield them from a storm. The high school students went to class remotely the following day and then returned to the Brooklyn school the day after that.

The one-day school closure sparked an outcry from parents and local politicians. Adams and city officials have struggled to handle and house the migrants that are being bused to New York, mainly from Texas, since the spring of 2022.

The mayor defended his use of the high school on ABC’s GMA3 later that week, saying, “We’ve always used our school buildings during emergencies.”

Fact Check: DeSantis on Haley’s attack ads

From CNN’s David Wright and Marshall Cohen

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

At CNN’s town hall Tuesday night, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis touted his second-place finish in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of former South Carolina Gov. and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. He beat her despite the fact that, according to him, she only spent money on TV ads that attacked him, giving former President Donald Trump a pass.

“She spent 100% of her money attacking me, and not one red cent attacking Donald Trump,” DeSantis claimed. “And I faced almost $50 million in total. I got in second and she did not.”

Facts First: This is mostly true but needs context. Yes, DeSantis was the target of nearly all of the spending by Haley’s campaign and allied groups in Iowa. But they have spent millions of dollars hitting Trump in other states, including in New Hampshire, where she is more competitive in the latest polls.

The Florida governor’s complaints about Haley’s spending in Iowa are well-founded.

In the past year, Haley and her allies have devoted significantly more resources to attacking DeSantis instead of Trump. According to data from AdImpact, Haley’s campaign and allied super PACs have spent about $12.5 million on TV ads targeting DeSantis, with at least $9.8 million on ads airing in Iowa.

But according to AdImpact’s data, Haley and her allies have also spent about $2.9 million in the past year on TV ads criticizing Trump. Virtually all of these ads have aired in New Hampshire, not in Iowa.

SFA Fund, a super PAC supporting Haley, has spent over $500,000 airing an ad responding to some of Trump’s attacks, saying “one temper tantrum after another, his entire campaign, based on revenge.” The same group has also spent over $1 million on another ad against Trump, saying, “Why is Donald Trump only attacking Nikki Haley? Because Trump knows Haley’s the only one who can beat him.”

Fact Check: DeSantis' claim about Iranian sanctions

From CNN’s Jennifer Hansler and Kaanita Iyer

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

When answering a voter’s question in tonight’s CNN town hall on how he will deal with Iran if elected president, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attempted to contrast himself from President Joe Biden, who DeSantis claimed “relaxed sanctions on Iran.”

Facts First: This claim needs context.

The Biden administration has lifted a handful of Iranian sanctions, which they said were removed because of “verified change in status or behavior.” However, Biden has also retained and imposed numerous other sanctions on Iran. The Biden administration has issued waivers to allow Iraq to purchase electricity from Iran – something the Trump administration did as well.

DeSantis says US is "not a racist country" after Haley says US has "never been a racist country"

From CNN's Aaron Pellish and Ebony Davis

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the United States is “not a racist country” but has “had challenges with how race was viewed” as he responded Tuesday night to comments made by former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who said the US has “never been a racist country.”

The presidential candidate was asked during CNN’s town hall in Manchester, New Hampshire, about Haley’s comments from an interview Tuesday morning, in which she responded to a question about the Republican Party being a “racist party” by making a larger point about her view on race relations historically in the US.

When asked to respond, DeSantis initially did not directly answer the question, instead criticizing diversity, equity and inclusion policies that he says promote unfair racial bias. He went on to say the US “is not a racist country” currently.

When pressed again by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer to respond to Haley’s comment, DeSantis pointed to the Supreme Court’s decision in the Dred Scott case as an example of the racial discrimination “challenges” in US history.

Fact Check: DeSantis on pro-LGBTQ aid to Bangladesh

From CNN’s Marshall Cohen and Kaanita Iyer

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

When making the case for lower government spending, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claimed that taxpayer dollars are “going overseas to do things like promote ‘transgenderism’ in Bangladesh.”

Facts First: This needs context. While there have been US Agency for International Development programs supporting LGBTQ rights in Bangladesh, they make up a sliver of the federal agency’s budget.

The specific USAID program involved in these efforts was launched under the Trump administration in June 2018 and ended in June 2021, and USAID records indicate that the program cost $849,535 over the three years.

In the 2021 fiscal year, when it ended, USAID spent almost $30 billion, according to the agency. That means the pro-LGBTQ program in Bangladesh was less than 0.003% of the agency’s spending for that year.

There is at least one additional USAID program supporting LGBTQ rights in Bangladesh, which was launched last year.

In response to CNN’s inquiries, USAID spokespeople wouldn’t provide a figure for the cost of the program, which is set to run for five years.

Fact Check: DeSantis' claims on Florida and the pandemic

From CNN’s Daniel Dale

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

During the CNN town hall on Tuesday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized former President Donald Trump’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and accused him of “turning over the government” to Dr. Anthony Fauci, who served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases from 1984 to 2022. He then claimed it was Florida that “dragged this country out of lockdown,” adding, “We made sure schools were open; we made sure businesses were open.”

Facts First: DeSantis’ claim is misleading at best. Before he became a vocal opponent of pandemic restrictions, DeSantis imposed significant restrictions on individuals, businesses and other entities in Florida in March 2020 and April 2020; some of them extended months later. He did then open up the state, with a gradual phased approach, but he did not keep it open from the start.

DeSantis received criticism in March 2020 for what some critics perceived as a lax approach to the pandemic, which intensified as Florida beaches were packed during Spring Break. But that month and the month following, DeSantis issued a series of major restrictions.

For example, DeSantis:

Closed Florida’s schools, first with a short-term closure in March 2020 and then, in April 2020, with a shutdown through the end of the school year. (In June 2020, he announced a plan for schools to reopen for the next school year that began in August. By October 2020, he was publicly denouncing school closures, calling them a major mistake and saying all the information hadn’t been available that March.)
On March 14, 2020, announced a ban on most visits to nursing homes. (He lifted the ban in September 2020.)
On March 17, 2020, ordered bars and nightclubs to close for 30 days and restaurants to operate at half-capacity. (He later approved a phased reopening plan that took effect in May 2020, then issued an order in September 2020 allowing these establishments to operate at full capacity.)
On March 17, 2020, ordered gatherings on public beaches to be limited to a maximum of 10 people staying at least six feet apart, then, three days later, ordered a shutdown of public beaches in two populous counties, Broward and Palm Beach. (He permitted those counties’ beaches to reopen by the last half of May.)

DeSantis emphasizes importance of being able to disagree about politics "without hating each other"

From CNN's Elise Hammond

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that as a leader, he knows he is going to make decisions not everyone agrees with, but emphasized the importance of civil discourse in politics.

“We have got to start being able to have conversations and disagreeing, without hating each other,” he said during Tuesday night’s CNN town hall.

The Florida governor was answering a question from Gavan Fink, a student at Dartmouth, who asked how the GOP candidate would advocate for thoughtful policy conversations in a time when politics can be so polarizing.

He said he doesn’t take politics personally and he thinks there is more that unites people than divides.

In pictures: The DeSantis town hall

From CNN's Will Lanzoni

Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis participated in a CNN town hall in New Hampshire on Tuesday night, a day after he finished second in Iowa’s GOP caucuses.

See some of the best photos from the event:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during the CNN town hall on Tuesday.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during the CNN town hall on Tuesday.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

An audience member asks a question during the town hall.

An audience member asks a question during the town hall.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

DeSantis answers a question. He sought to differentiate himself from the rest of the GOP field.

DeSantis answers a question. He sought to differentiate himself from the rest of the GOP field.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

The town hall was held at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire.

The town hall was held at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

CNN's Wolf Blitzer hosted the town hall.

CNN's Wolf Blitzer hosted the town hall.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Max Korp, a 14-year-old from Southington, Connecticut, holds a campaign button that DeSantis signed during the town hall.

Max Korp, a 14-year-old from Southington, Connecticut, holds a campaign button that DeSantis signed during the town hall.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Ramaswamy appears at campaign event with Trump in New Hampshire

From CNN's Ali Main

Former President Donald Trump greets Vivek Ramaswamy while speaking during a campaign rally at the Atkinson Country Club on January 16, in Atkinson, New Hampshire.

Former President Donald Trump greets Vivek Ramaswamy while speaking during a campaign rally at the Atkinson Country Club on January 16, in Atkinson, New Hampshire.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

A day after suspending his presidential campaign, Vivek Ramaswamy joined Donald Trump on stage briefly in New Hampshire where he echoed his campaign rhetoric that the country is in “the middle of a war.”

“We need a commander in chief who will lead us to victory in this war,” he said, painting Trump as that wartime leader who was not a “bought and paid for” politician.

As Ramaswamy wrapped his remarks, members of the crowd could be heard shouting “VP” as he embraced Trump before leaving the stage.

Meanwhile, Trump escalated his attacks on rival Nikki Haley as his former UN ambassador strives to create a two-person race in the Granite State after Trump won the Iowa caucuses by doublegdigit margi

DeSantis says he’ll bring down interest rates. That's not something the president controls

From CNN's Luciana Lopez

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

“We’re going to get interest rates down,” Gov. Ron DeSantis told a young voter asking about the economy during the CNN town hall tonight.

While DeSantis is right that interest rates are at their highest in over two decades, setting rates is not the job of the US president. Instead, Federal Reserve officials do that, led by Chair Jerome Powell.

The Fed has raised rates 11 times since March 2022 to combat high inflation, but it’s now kept rates on hold for three straight policy meetings, most recently in December of last year. Powell and the other Fed policymakers next meet at the end of this month.

The president’s policies can influence Treasury yields, which more closely align with consumer loans, such as mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. But the Fed holds considerably more direct sway over rates.

GOP Sen. Ted Cruz endorses Trump, saying he believes the primary race is now over

From CNN's Rashard Rose

As Donald Trump’s rival Ron DeSantis participates in the CNN town hall, the former president’s endorsements continue to grow.

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz announced he’s endorsing Trump, saying on Fox News’ Hannity that on Tuesday that “at this point, I believe this race is over. So I am proud to endorse Donald Trump for President of the United States.”

Pointing to Trump’s win in Iowa, Cruz said, “It was a dominating victory for Donald Trump. I gotta say there’s no place like the Iowa caucuses. I know it intimately, the men and women of Iowa where they take their responsibility incredibly seriously. They scrutinize the candidates. It’s an amazing process and I’m a big believer in letting democracy play out. Well, last night it played out and I gotta say, Trump’s victory was across the board.”

Cruz beat Trump in the 2016 Iowa caucuses, and later endorsed the former president after his presidential campaign failed.

“I don’t see any path to victory for anyone other than Donald Trump. New Hampshire may be closely contested. We’ll see what happens. I think after New Hampshire, it will go to South Carolina. I believe in South Carolina, you’re gonna see Trump win a dominating victory in South Carolina. And after that, you’ve got Super Tuesday. I don’t see a path for any candidate after that,” Cruz said.

DeSantis hits Trump over Covid-19 response, harkening back to his political ascent

From CNN's Aaron Pellish

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis sought to distinguish himself from former President Donald Trump by reflecting on their records handling the Covid-19 pandemic, an issue at the heart of DeSantis’ rise to national prominence.

DeSantis responded to a question from a voter at CNN’s town hall in Manchester, New Hampshire, on Tuesday about the differences between him and Trump by acknowledging he’s agreed with Trump on some issues and supported Trump in previous elections, but specifically highlighted Trump’s handling of the pandemic and his reliance on guidance from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

DeSantis compared Trump’s record and his reliance on Fauci – a strongly derided figure among conservative politicians and media personalities – to his own handling of the pandemic, which deemphasized the need for mask mandates, school closures and vaccine mandates. He also blamed Trump for not removing Fauci from his high-profile role in the Trump administration pandemic response team.

DeSantis has made his record in handling the Covid pandemic his chief differentiator with Trump in recent weeks, rooting his campaign message in the period when DeSantis first garnered national attention for Florida’s Covid response, which was less strict in implementing public health guidelines than other states around the country at the time.

DeSantis touts his record balancing Florida’s budget. Most other governors can say the same

From CNN's Elisabeth Buchwald

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he’s capable of getting the nation’s $34 trillion in debt under control because he’s passed balanced budgets during his time in office. That means the state hasn’t spent more than it has collected in tax revenue.

As governor of Florida, he added, “It’s not even a question you’re going to balance the budget. So you have to make choices, you’re forced to make choices.”

That requirement hardly makes DeSantis unique. Governors of every single state except Vermont have some form of a balanced budget requirement according to the Urban Institute. But as president, DeSantis said he’d be in favor of passing a federal balanced budget requirement.

The last time the United States balanced the federal budget was under former President Bill Clinton in 2001. In the past fiscal year, the government ran a $1.7 trillion budget deficit.

Republicans will lose in 2024 if election is focused on Trump's legal trouble, DeSantis says

From CNN's Elise Hammond

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis answers a question during a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis answers a question during a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Voters have a choice to make about the 2024 election, and focusing on former President Donald Trump’s legal troubles will be a distraction for the Republican party, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

“What do we want the 2024 election to be about?” he said at a CNN town hall in New Hampshire.

Instead, he thinks the election should be focused on things like the economy, crime, the border and “to be a referendum on the country going in the wrong direction.”

He said he does not think Republicans will succeed in the election if Trump’s issues are top-of-mind for voters.

DeSantis defends 2022 move to send migrants to Martha's Vineyard, saying it's not "cheap at all"

From CNN's Elise Hammond

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis defended the move to send migrants from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard in 2022, saying: “I don’t think it was cheap at all.”

The GOP candidate was asked by Geoff Woollacott, an undeclared voter leaning toward Nikki Haley, about how tactics like that bring the nation together.

The arrangements to send migrants to Martha’s Vineyard were part of a series of moves by Republican governors to transport migrants to liberal enclaves to protest what they say are inadequate federal efforts to secure the southern border.

DeSantis said he thinks sanctuary cities “should be the ones to have to shoulder the burden.”

He went a step further saying if he is elected president, he wouldn’t allow any sanctuary cities.

DeSantis says GOP voters don't believe Haley shares their values and she lacks ability to build coalition

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

DeSantis answers a question during the town hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

DeSantis answers a question during the town hall on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that Nikki Haley’s comments about him not being a concern for her in the primary race doesn’t faze him because of the momentum he gained coming out of Iowa — and because GOP voters don’t think she shares their values.

Asked by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer about Haley’s comments from earlier in the day, where she said DeSantis was “not my concern. I am going after Trump,” the Florida governor responded, “So, she said — and her campaign — said that, there’s only two tickets out of Iowa, that the top two out of Iowa would be viable and that she would finish at least second and that would be the race.”

DeSantis followed up by noting he nabbed the second place slot in Iowa, despite, as he claimed, Haley spending “100% of her money attacking me and not one red cent attacking Donald Trump.”

He then went on to say that Haley does not share the values that Republican voters want in a candidate. The Florida governor pointed to comments he heard from Trump voters who told him they liked his record.

“None of them like Nikki Haley because they don’t think she shares her values. So she does not have the ability to build the type of coalition that you need to win a Republican primary, period. Much less take on Donald Trump,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis says results of Iowa caucuses point to an "appetite for a different leader"

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the fact that roughly half of Iowa’s Republican caucusgoers voted for someone besides former President Donald Trump shows there is “an appetite for a different leader” and that he represents that person.

Finishing second with about 21% of the vote behind Trump’s more than 50%, DeSantis argued that he is the candidate who has delivered on key conservative agenda points, and slammed Trump for falling short on previous campaign promises.

DeSantis said now that fewer candidates are in the race for the GOP nomination, “we are now in a position where people are going to be able to make even better choices.”

The Florida governor narrowly beat out former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. Heading into the next primary contest, DeSantis is facing major headwinds in New Hampshire, where Trump and Haley have led him in recent polling.

NOW: Town hall with DeSantis has begun

From CNN's Gregory Krieg and Eric Bradner

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer at New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire, on January 16, 2024.

Will Lanzoni/CNN

The CNN town hall with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is underway, a day after his second-place finish in the Iowa Republican caucuses.

Tonight, he is making his case to voters at a town hall in New Hampshire.

DeSantis is facing major headwinds in the Granite State, where former President Donald Trump, who lapped the field in Iowa, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley have led him in recent polling.

That is due, at least in part, to New Hampshire’s more politically diverse primary electorate, which includes independents who can vote in intraparty contests.

The New Hampshire GOP primary takes place on January 23.

Key topics to look out for at tonight's town hall

From CNN's Gregory Krieg and Eric Bradner

Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday, January 4.

Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis participates in a CNN Republican Town Hall moderated by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday, January 4.

Rebecca Wright/CNN

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is getting right back to work Tuesday, a day after his second-place finish in the Iowa Republican caucuses, making his case to voters at a CNN town hall in New Hampshire tonight at 9 p.m. ET after a brief stopover in South Carolina.

Here are four things to watch for in his CNN town hall:

His answers about Iowa: DeSantis spent big money and a lot of time in Iowa, which, in theory, should have been ripe for his conservative message. But he finished only slightly ahead of Haley. So what went wrong in Iowa? In the week before the caucuses, DeSantis began to attack right-wing media organs for their kid-gloves treatment of former President Donald Trump. Even then, it’s hard to hand-wave a 30-point loss and a failure to win any of Iowa’s 99 counties. New Hampshire has a very different electorate, as does South Carolina (to a lesser extent), but candidates want to tell stories. What kind of story will DeSantis tell about his disappointing returns in the Hawkeye State?
The expectations game: Unlike in Iowa, DeSantis will enter New Hampshire as an underdog. He says he likes that role, but after underperforming his initial expectations in Iowa, his campaign is in desperate need of good news. The Florida governor will likely try to paint a picture of what success for him in the Granite State looks like – and it will be instructive to see where he sets the bar.
Does DeSantis go harder at Trump? CNN’s entrance poll in Iowa showed DeSantis in a stronger position than Haley among conservative voters — especially those looking for a candidate who shares their values. What the Florida governor has never figured out, though, is how to chip away at Trump’s lead without alienating more of those conservative voters than he’s attracting.
DeSantis’ case against Haley: Haley has long viewed New Hampshire as a springboard for her campaign — a state where a win could effectively turn the GOP primary into a one-on-one race between Trump and his former US ambassador to the United Nations. But DeSantis sent the signal Tuesday that he isn’t leaving anytime soon by traveling to South Carolina before continuing to New Hampshire.

Read more about things to watch for in DeSantis’ CNN town hall.