Ron DeSantis heads into the Iowa caucuses displaying public confidence and a sense of humor

By THOMAS BEAUMONT and HANNAH FINGERHUT
Associated Press

JOHNSTON, Iowa (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis in recent weeks is coming off to many would-be supporters in Iowa as looser and more personable than the strident and sometimes dour presence he was before. The Florida governor is showing more confidence even in the face of doubts that he’ll be able to beat former President Donald Trump in Monday’s caucuses as he previously vowed. DeSantis has settled on a more concise message in the closing weeks of the campaign and has trimmed his standard speech by more than 20 minutes. Some voters say they see a difference in his campaign style.