Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis pitted against each for other for 2nd place in Iowa caucus, eye on 2028

Washington, Jan 4 (IANS) Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley are pitted against each other to secure the 2nd berth after the Iowa caucus on January 15 when former President Donald Trump is likely to fend off their competition, but it would signal the potential of both candidates to be catapulted into the 1st position in 2028.Although DeSantis and Haley have little chance to defeat Trump in Iowa, both see a strong second-place finish iks key to becoming the last person standing between Trump and the 2024 nomination. Pre-empting expectations in Iowa would signal potential for the 2028 campaign, when the GOP field could be wide open, media reports said .Recent polls of Iowa Republican caucus-goers put Haley and DeSantis in the teens, with the Florida Governor slightly leading and with both well behind Trump. But late shifts in momentum are common in Iowa, so either candidate could finish well ahead of the other on caucus night, CNN reported.With the Iowa caucuses less than a fortnight away, the big question is not who will win on January 15, but who will be placed second. Groups backing the contenders for the runner-up spot – DeSantis and Haley – have spent millions of dollars on ads targeting the rival for second, while making little effort to bring down the front-runner, says Laura Belin, the publisher and primary author of website “Bleeding Heartland”, where she has been covering Iowa