"Trump's Absence at Iowa Evangelical Gathering Sparks Rivalry Among GOP Candidates"

Several Republican presidential candidates, including Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, and Nikki Haley, addressed a gathering of influential Iowa evangelical Christians at the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition's annual banquet and town hall, hoping to gain support from this key voting bloc. Former President Donald Trump, who remains popular with evangelical Christians, skipped the event. Trump's rivals face a tough task as he has a large lead in the early GOP primary despite not attending many campaign events. Abortion and gender education were among the key issues discussed at the gathering.