Donald Trump’s Visit to Iowa State University Signals Start of Intense Battle for Republican Nomination in Iowa

Donald Trump was welcomed to Iowa State University by hundreds of cheering students on Saturday, where he attended the school’s annual football grudge match against the University of Iowa. The former president was seen tossing autographed footballs into the crowd and entering a motorcade to a private stadium suite.

Trump’s presence at the game is a reminder of his dominant position atop a crowded Republican field both in Iowa and nationally. Several of his rivals were also in attendance, mingling with fans at pregame tailgates outside the stadium.

However, Trump’s campaign is preparing for months of battle against Republican presidential opponents who trail badly in the polls but have built better machinery to find and secure votes. The campaign is scrambling to fill roles handling regional political work around the state, jobs that should have been filled six to eight months ago, according to one Republican operative based in Iowa.

Interviews with a dozen sources including longtime Trump campaign allies, state and local officials in Iowa and GOP strategists have revealed that the campaign is working hard to stay ahead of the competition. With the Iowa caucuses less than two months away, the Trump campaign is hoping to maintain its lead in the polls and secure the Republican nomination.