Credit…
Jordan Gale for The New York Times
The third anniversary on Saturday of the assault on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob looms as dark as ever over the nation’s politics, just days away from the Iowa caucuses.
The Republican presidential hopefuls — including the front-runner for the nomination, former President Donald J. Trump — will be in the state today, but the weight of Jan. 6, 2021, will hang over campaign events, whether the candidates acknowledge them or not.
Far from contrite, Mr. Trump, who is accused of instigating the attack, continues to spin conspiracy theories about its origins, while his opponents for the Republican nomination struggle to even discuss it before the electorate.
President Biden marked the anniversary on Friday with a fierce speech centering the future of democracy in his campaign for re-election, calling Mr. Trump a “loser” for failing to recognize his defeat in 2020 and exhorting voters to rise above Mr. Trump’s divisiveness to preserve the rights of freedom and pluralism.
Mr. Trump, in Sioux Center, Iowa, made light of the issue: “Is there anybody here who’s not going to vote for Trump? Don’t raise your hands, it could be dangerous. They’re going to say, ‘He incited an insurrection.’”
He referred to rioters imprisoned for the attack as “J6 hostages,” saying, “Nobody’s been treated ever in history so badly as those people.”
Beneath the heady questions about democracy, politics this weekend will proceed in more traditional forms. Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida, desperate for an unlikely win — or at least a strong second place finish — in Iowa, is showing more willingness to attack Mr. Trump. He has four events in Eastern Iowa on Saturday.
Mr. Trump, watching the rising poll numbers of his former United Nations ambassador, Nikki Haley, has begun going after her in his signature belittling way, asking his followers if they are “enjoying these little quips” and gaffes of hers in recent days. “She does not have what it takes,” he said. He will campaign in Newton and Clinton, Iowa.
Vivek Ramaswamy, far behind in the polls, will continue his breakneck campaigning through five events in the Hawkeye State, from Davenport to Cedar Rapids.
Ms. Haley, herself, has ground to make up in Iowa, especially after telling New Hampshire voters that they would “correct” the results of the Iowa caucuses. She will be in Indianola, North Liberty and Bettendorf, Iowa.
It appears that the campaign is officially on.