>> Announcer: FROM ABC NEWS IT'S "THIS WEEK." "THIS WEEK." HERE NOW MARTHA RADDATZ. HERE NOW MARTHA RADDATZ. >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. WELCOME TO "THIS WEEK." WELCOME TO "THIS WEEK." AS WE COME ON THE AIR THIS AS WE COME ON THE AIR THIS MORNING, THE FIGHT FOR 2024 IS MORNING, THE FIGHT FOR 2024 IS IN FULL SWING. IN FULL SWING. PRESIDENT BIDEN IS USING THE PRESIDENT BIDEN IS USING THE BIPARTISAN DEAL TO RAISE THE BIPARTISAN DEAL TO RAISE THE DEBT CEILING AND CUT SPENDING AS DEBT CEILING AND CUT SPENDING AS A PREVIEW OF HIS 2024 A PREVIEW OF HIS 2024 RE-ELECTION MESSAGE, TOUTING HIS RE-ELECTION MESSAGE, TOUTING HIS ABILITY TO COMPROMISE WITH ABILITY TO COMPROMISE WITH REPUBLICANS IN A FRIDAY NIGHT REPUBLICANS IN A FRIDAY NIGHT OVAL OFFICE ADDRESS, THE FIRST OVAL OFFICE ADDRESS, THE FIRST OF HIS PRESIDENCY. OF HIS PRESIDENCY. SIGNING THE BILL ON SATURDAY TO SIGNING THE BILL ON SATURDAY TO AVOID AN UNPRECEDENTED U.S. AVOID AN UNPRECEDENTED U.S. DEFAULT, BIDEN ADDING TO A LIST DEFAULT, BIDEN ADDING TO A LIST OF LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, OF LEGISLATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WHILE VOWING TO ADVANCE KEY WHILE VOWING TO ADVANCE KEY DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES. DEMOCRATIC PRIORITIES. ALL OF THIS AS THE LIST OF ALL OF THIS AS THE LIST OF REPUBLICAN CONTENDERS AIMING TO REPUBLICAN CONTENDERS AIMING TO OUST HIM KEEPS GROWING. OUST HIM KEEPS GROWING. THE CROWDED FIELD OF WHITE HOUSE THE CROWDED FIELD OF WHITE HOUSE HOPEFULS SWEPT THROUGH IOWA THIS HOPEFULS SWEPT THROUGH IOWA THIS WEEK, MEETING VOTERS AND WEEK, MEETING VOTERS AND SHARPENING THEIR MESSAGES AS SHARPENING THEIR MESSAGES AS SEVERAL MORE CANDIDATES, SEVERAL MORE CANDIDATES, INCLUDING FORMER VICE PRESIDENT INCLUDING FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE AND FORMER NEW JERSEY MIKE PENCE AND FORMER NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE, PREPARE GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE, PREPARE TO THE RACE. TO THE RACE. CAN ANY OF THEM CATCH UP TO CAN ANY OF THEM CATCH UP TO FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP? FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP? HE HAS A COMMANDING LEAD IN THE HE HAS A COMMANDING LEAD IN THE POLLS. POLLS. ABC'S SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL ABC'S SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT RACHEL SCOTT CORRESPONDENT RACHEL SCOTT STARTS US OFF FROM DEM MONEY CORRESPONDENT RACHEL SCOTT STARTS US OFF FROM DEM MO DES MI CORRESPONDENT RACHEL SCOTT STARTS US OFF FROM DEM MO DES ME CORRESPONDENT RACHEL SCOTT STARTS US OFF FROM DEM MO DES M. STARTS US OFF FROM DEM MO DES M. RACHEL, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. RACHEL, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. >> MARTHA, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. >> MARTHA, GOOD MORNING TO YOU. THE REPUBLICAN ROAD TO THE WHITE THE REPUBLICAN ROAD TO THE WHITE HOUSE GOES THROUGH THIS STATE. HOUSE GOES THROUGH THIS STATE. IT'S THE FIRST TIME SO MANY IT'S THE FIRST TIME SO MANY REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ALL SHARED REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ALL SHARED ONE STAGE. ONE STAGE. NOTABLY ABSENT, THE FRONTRUNNER NOTABLY ABSENT, THE FRONTRUNNER IN THIS RACE, FORMER PRESIDENT IN THIS RACE, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. DONALD TRUMP. >> HOW'S THE GREAT STATE OF >> HOW'S THE GREAT STATE OF IOWA? IOWA? >> IT'S THE UNOFFICIAL KICKOFF >> IT'S THE UNOFFICIAL KICKOFF OF THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY OF THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY SEASON. SEASON. EIGHT WHITE HOUSE HOPEFULS EIGHT WHITE HOUSE HOPEFULS DESCENDING ON IOWA FOR SENATOR DESCENDING ON IOWA FOR SENATOR JONI ERNST ROAST AND RIDE RALLY, JONI ERNST ROAST AND RIDE RALLY, SHAKING HANDS, SIGNING SWAG. SHAKING HANDS, SIGNING SWAG. >> I GOT YOUR WIFE. >> I GOT YOUR WIFE. NOW I GET YOU. NOW I GET YOU. >> MAKING THEIR BIG PITCH. >> MAKING THEIR BIG PITCH. >> WE HAVE A BATTLE TO FIGHT IN >> WE HAVE A BATTLE TO FIGHT IN 2024. 2024. >> WE ARE HUNGRY FOR A CAUSE. >> WE ARE HUNGRY FOR A CAUSE. >> WE CAN RESTORE AMERICAN >> WE CAN RESTORE AMERICAN GREATNESS. GREATNESS. >> AS A CROWDED REPUBLICAN >> AS A CROWDED REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FIELD LOOKS TO ONLY BE PRIMARY FIELD LOOKS TO ONLY BE GETTING BIGGER. GETTING BIGGER. >> COME THIS WEDNESDAY, I'M >> COME THIS WEDNESDAY, I'M ANNOUNCING IN IOWA. ANNOUNCING IN IOWA. >> FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE >> FORMER VICE PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE SET TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL PENCE SET TO MAKE IT OFFICIAL WEDNESDAY, HOPPING ON THE BACK WEDNESDAY, HOPPING ON THE BACK OF A HARLEY AS HE HOPES TO BREAK OF A HARLEY AS HE HOPES TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE PACK. AWAY FROM THE PACK. THE ELEPHANT NOT IN THE ROOM, THE ELEPHANT NOT IN THE ROOM, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. THE FRONTRUNNER VISITED IOWA THE FRONTRUNNER VISITED IOWA EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT SKIPPED EARLIER THIS WEEK, BUT SKIPPED THE GOP CATTLE CALL, BUT TRUMP THE GOP CATTLE CALL, BUT TRUMP DID SIGN THIS MOTORCYCLE HELMET DID SIGN THIS MOTORCYCLE HELMET FOR THE EVENT, THE 45th FOR THE EVENT, THE 45th PRESIDENT SO CONFIDENT HE'LL WIN PRESIDENT SO CONFIDENT HE'LL WIN ANOTHER TERM HE ALSO SIGNED IT ANOTHER TERM HE ALSO SIGNED IT 47. 47. WHILE TRUMP TRADED JABS WITH HIS WHILE TRUMP TRADED JABS WITH HIS BIGGEST CHALLENGER, FLORIDA BIGGEST CHALLENGER, FLORIDA GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS EARLIER GOVERNOR RON DESANTIS EARLIER THIS WEEK. THIS WEEK. >> GOING DOWN SO MUCH, SO >> GOING DOWN SO MUCH, SO RAPIDLY, THAT I DON'T THINK HE'S RAPIDLY, THAT I DON'T THINK HE'S GOING TO BE SECOND THAT MUCH GOING TO BE SECOND THAT MUCH LONGER. LONGER. >> USED TO SAY HOW GREAT FLORIDA >> USED TO SAY HOW GREAT FLORIDA WAS. WAS. HELL, HIS OWN FAMILY MOVED TO HELL, HIS OWN FAMILY MOVED TO FLORIDA UNDER MY GOVERNORSHIP. FLORIDA UNDER MY GOVERNORSHIP. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? >> TRUMP WENT UNMENTIONED BY >> TRUMP WENT UNMENTIONED BY MOST CANDIDATES YESTERDAY. MOST CANDIDATES YESTERDAY. >> I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE. >> I'M JUST HAPPY TO BE HERE. I THINK THE FOLKS HERE ARE I THINK THE FOLKS HERE ARE GREAT. GREAT. WE'VE ENJOYED OUR VISIT. WE'VE ENJOYED OUR VISIT. WE'LL BE BACK A LOT. WE'LL BE BACK A LOT. >> DESANTIS CASTING HIMSELF AS >> DESANTIS CASTING HIMSELF AS THE WAY OUT OF A REPUBLICAN THE WAY OUT OF A REPUBLICAN LOSING STREAK. LOSING STREAK. >> WE NEED TO DISPENSE WITH THE >> WE NEED TO DISPENSE WITH THE CULTURE OF LOSING. CULTURE OF LOSING. FLORIDA SHOWS IT CAN BE DONE. FLORIDA SHOWS IT CAN BE DONE. WE HAD RED WAVES IN 2022. WE HAD RED WAVES IN 2022. THE REST OF THE COUNTRY NOT SO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY NOT SO MUCH. MUCH. >> FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA >> FORMER SOUTH CAROLINA GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY, ALSO GOVERNOR NIKKI HALEY, ALSO CALLING FOR THE PARTY TO TURN CALLING FOR THE PARTY TO TURN THE PAGE. THE PAGE. >> DOES THE PARTY NEED TO BE >> DOES THE PARTY NEED TO BE HEADED IN A NEW DIRECTION? HEADED IN A NEW DIRECTION? >> THE PARTY NEEDS A NEW >> THE PARTY NEEDS A NEW GENERATIONAL LEADER. GENERATIONAL LEADER. WE'VE LOST THE LAST SEVEN OUT OF WE'VE LOST THE LAST SEVEN OUT OF EIGHT POPULAR VOTES FOR EIGHT POPULAR VOTES FOR PRESIDENT. PRESIDENT. THAT'S NOTHING WE SHOULD BE THAT'S NOTHING WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF. PROUD OF. >> JUST ONE REPUBLICAN TOOK >> JUST ONE REPUBLICAN TOOK TRUMP ON BY NAME, LONG SHOT TRUMP ON BY NAME, LONG SHOT CANDIDATE ASA HUTCHINSON, THE CANDIDATE ASA HUTCHINSON, THE FORMER GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS. FORMER GOVERNOR OF ARKANSAS. >> DOES HAVING MORE CANDIDATES >> DOES HAVING MORE CANDIDATES HELP OR HURT? HELP OR HURT? >> IT FIRST SENDS A SIGNAL, WHEN >> IT FIRST SENDS A SIGNAL, WHEN YOU'RE HAVING THESE NATIONAL YOU'RE HAVING THESE NATIONAL LEADERS, THEY'RE SAYING WE NEED LEADERS, THEY'RE SAYING WE NEED A DIFFERENT LEADER THAN DONALD A DIFFERENT LEADER THAN DONALD TRUMP. TRUMP. YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PRETTY YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PRETTY POWERFUL MESSAGE. POWERFUL MESSAGE. >> MANY IOWANS ARE STILL ALL IN >> MANY IOWANS ARE STILL ALL IN ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT. ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT. >> STILL RIGHT HERE. >> STILL RIGHT HERE. HE'S THE MAN TO CLEAN THE MESS HE'S THE MAN TO CLEAN THE MESS UP. UP. >> OTHERS ARE KEEPING THEIR >> OTHERS ARE KEEPING THEIR OPTIONS OPEN. OPTIONS OPEN. >> HAVE YOU MADE UP YOUR MIND ON >> HAVE YOU MADE UP YOUR MIND ON WHO YOU WILL SUPPORT IN 2024? WHO YOU WILL SUPPORT IN 2024? >> I HAVE NOT. >> I HAVE NOT. I'M STILL LOOKING. I'M STILL LOOKING. WE HAVE A STRONG FIELD. WE HAVE A STRONG FIELD. I'M STILL LOOKING AT ALL THE I'M STILL LOOKING AT ALL THE OPTIONS. OPTIONS. >> ARE YOU UNDECIDED AT THIS >> ARE YOU UNDECIDED AT THIS POINT? POINT? >> I'M UNDECIDED. >> I'M UNDECIDED. >> YEAH, I'M UNDECIDED. >> YEAH, I'M UNDECIDED. >> I HAVE TO HEAR WHAT THEY ALL >> I HAVE TO HEAR WHAT THEY ALL HAVE TO SAY. HAVE TO SAY. >> THEY HAVE ALL HAVE GOOD >> THEY HAVE ALL HAVE GOOD IDEAS. IDEAS. TO BE FAIR, WHY DECIDE IN THE TO BE FAIR, WHY DECIDE IN THE BEGINNING? BEGINNING? >> WINNING THOSE UNDECIDED >> WINNING THOSE UNDECIDED VOTERS IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR VOTERS IS A MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR THESE CANDIDATES. THESE CANDIDATES. >> I'M WELL KNOWN, BUT WE DON'T >> I'M WELL KNOWN, BUT WE DON'T THINK WE'RE KNOWN WELL. THINK WE'RE KNOWN WELL. MOST PEOPLE KNOW ME AS VICE MOST PEOPLE KNOW ME AS VICE PRESIDENT, AS A LOYAL PRESIDENT, AS A LOYAL LIEUTENANT, STANDING BESIDE THE LIEUTENANT, STANDING BESIDE THE PRESIDENT. PRESIDENT. >> IOWA'S KING-MAKER, SATURDAY'S >> IOWA'S KING-MAKER, SATURDAY'S HOST, SENATOR JONI ERNST, HOST, SENATOR JONI ERNST, TELLING VOTERS OPENNESS IS A TELLING VOTERS OPENNESS IS A SIGNAL THAT THE GOP NOMINATION SIGNAL THAT THE GOP NOMINATION IS STILL UP FOR THE TAKING. IS STILL UP FOR THE TAKING. >> THEY REALLY TAKE THIS VERY >> THEY REALLY TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. SERIOUSLY. SO THIS IS NOT FLASH IN THE PAN. SO THIS IS NOT FLASH IN THE PAN. THEY WANT TO CAREFULLY VET ALL THEY WANT TO CAREFULLY VET ALL OF THESE CANDIDATES THAT ARE OF THESE CANDIDATES THAT ARE COMING THROUGH THE STATE. COMING THROUGH THE STATE. >> THOSE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES >> THOSE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES NOT ONLY SLOW TO CRITICIZE EACH NOT ONLY SLOW TO CRITICIZE EACH OTHER, BUT ALSO SLOW TO OTHER, BUT ALSO SLOW TO CRITICIZE FORMER PRESIDENT CRITICIZE FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP. DONALD TRUMP. THEY KNOW HE'S STILL EXTREMELY THEY KNOW HE'S STILL EXTREMELY POPULAR WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN POPULAR WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT EVEN VOTERS THAT WE PARTY, BUT EVEN VOTERS THAT WE TALK TO THAT SUPPORTED TRUMP TALK TO THAT SUPPORTED TRUMP LAST TIME AROUND TOLD US THIS LAST TIME AROUND TOLD US THIS TIME THEY ARE KEEPING THEIR TIME THEY ARE KEEPING THEIR OPTIONS OPEN, MAKING IT CLEAR OPTIONS OPEN, MAKING IT CLEAR THIS COULD STILL BE ANYBODY'S THIS COULD STILL BE ANYBODY'S RACE. RACE. MARTHA?