Ernst's Roast and Ride draws 8 presidential hopefuls, and lots of pork

The sun was baking in Des Moines, but it didn't deter U.S Sen. Joni Ernst and a slate of presidential hopefuls from making their political pitches to hundreds of Iowans, all while feasting on baked beans and sliced pork sandwiches.

Eight announced or soon-to-be-announced candidates for the Republican nomination took to the stage Saturday afternoon at the Animal Learning Center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds for Ernst's annual Roast and Ride Fundraiser. This year's event, attended by an estimated 900 people, raised money for the Freedom Foundation, a veterans assistance nonprofit based in Cedar Rapids.

The day began for many at the Big Barn Harley-Davidson dealership in Des Moines, where hundreds of shiny motorcycles were parked in neat rows at the entrance. Their owners socialized outside, donning leather vests, chaps and symbols of the American flag.

Engines revved, gasoline fumes wafted through the air. Ernst and former Vice President Mike Pence, the only presidential candidate to ride a motorcycle with Iowa's junior Senator, led the pack of more than 200 motorcyclists on the 8-mile ride to the Iowa State Fairgrounds.

Pence later told the Roast and Ride crowd, "I rode, and I roasted."

Meanwhile, at the fairgrounds, the other candidates prepared their booths and interacted with attendees eager to get a picture or a signed book.

Outside, songs like Four Tops' I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) and AC/DC's Thunderstruck played on loudspeakers. An inflatable mechanical bull ride (the bull replaced by an inflatable motorcycle) sat next to a free ice cream stand.

Ron DeSantis roamed the parking lot, pushing through a sea of reporters with his super PAC's "Don't Back Down Bus" prominently behind him. He shared memories of his military experience with Freedom Foundation's representatives, reminiscing on his time at a base in San Diego.

It's a city he said he loved at the time but now laments that so many of its residents are moving to Florida because of California's liberal politics.

"I mean how could you drive people out of San Diego?" he joked.

When a reporter asked him how he felt about Donald Trump's notable absence at this year's event, DeSantis deflected.

"I'm just happy to be here," he said. "I love the people here."

DeSantis met back up with his three kids and his wife, Casey DeSantis, who, in 86-degree heat, sported a fitted leather jacket embroidered with an alligator, the outline of Florida and the phrase, "Where woke goes to die."

After DeSantis sampled a bite of cotton candy ice cream, a flavor his daughter picked out and posed for a few additional pictures, his security team swiftly shuffled him into a light-colored van as the fleet of motorcyclists descended upon the fairgrounds.

Inside, candidates circled the increasingly crowded room while their campaign managers and staff set up shop by the food, luring Iowans in with free swag and pamphlets. Pig-shaped stress balls were strewn across nearly every table, with Ernst's infamous campaign slogan "Make 'em squeal" printed on their backs.

On the left side of the room, Tim Scott navigated around a series of tables covered in lime-green tablecloths to shake hands with potential voters. In the middle, Perry Johnson grabbed one of his books from a campaign staffer and signed it before handing it out to a young man in a red and blue striped golf shirt.

Pence made it back in the room, switching out his leather vest for a navy blue blazer with an American Flag lapel pin. He signed a golf ball before a reporter asked him how he enjoyed his ride into the fairgrounds.

"It was great, I loved it. Loved it," he said emphatically. "I've got a dog named Harley" he added before continuing to shake attendees' hands.

DeSantis spent some of his time before the speeches in a cordoned-off VIP area with Iowa politicians including Ernst and Chuck Grassley. Outside in the back of the building, Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy took one-on-one interviews with the press.

The program began with a prayer and the pledge of allegiance. Then one by one, after an introduction from Ernst, candidates recited their 10-minute stump speeches in front of a stack of hay bails with a John Deere tractor to their right.

They largely refrained from attacking each other and former President Trump. Instead, they reiterated their campaign talking points and railed against President Joe Biden and the "woke left."

More:GOP presidential candidates stay on message at Roast and Ride in Iowa; attack Biden, not Trump

Despite his absence, Trump's presence was very much still felt in Iowa Saturday. His supporters roamed the grounds in Trump gear, including the classic "Make America Great Again" red hat. And as some Iowans returned to the parking lot, they found pamphlets featuring Trump's image which stated "Iowa is Trump Country" tucked underneath their windshield wipers.

During a press conference after the event, Ernst said she invited the former president a few months ago and said he "considered" attending.

"Obviously as president, he has other considerations to think about, whether he does multi-candidate events or not. We made that offer and everyone is welcome here," she said.

Politics reporter Galen Bacharier contributed reporting.

Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.

Francesca Block is a breaking news reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter at@francescablock3.