Pro-DeSantis evangelical leader in Iowa doesn't believe polls showing Trump ahead

Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats, who endorsed Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis for president, is questioning the bevy of polling data showing former President Donald Trump well ahead in the state's primary race.

Trump leads DeSantis in the Hawkeye State by an average 30.7%, according to RealClearPolitics. The lead comes despite DeSantis endorsements from both Vander Plaats and Iowa GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds and has the Florida governor's supporters questioning the veracity of the surveys.

"I don’t believe them, and there’s a reason I don’t believe them – because it does not match up at all to what I’m hearing on the ground," Vander Platts said to the Washington Post.

The Iowa Caucus is scheduled for mid-January and represents the first nominating contest in the GOP primary. DeSantis, and many of Trump's primary opponents, has invested heavily in the state, hoping to notch an upset win and build momentum to topple Trump from his front runner position.

Vander Plaats endorsed DeSantis in late November.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.