(NewsNation) — The Iowa caucuses are approaching, and one key voting block in the state is evangelical Christians.

Faith leaders in Iowa say there is no path to the nomination without getting the support of evangelical voters. That’s one group former President Donald Trump has focused on.

Eight years ago, in 2016, Trump didn’t win the GOP Iowa caucuses. That year, 64% of evangelicals in Iowa turned out to vote. Sen. Ted Cruz actually clinched the nomination with 34% of Iowa’s evangelical vote, with Trump coming in just ahead of Sen. Marco Rubio with 21%.

Trump has upped his ground game this time around, focusing on grassroots operations and smaller venues as well as the counties he lost in northwest Iowa. He has events scheduled in Sioux City and Cherokee, Iowa, over the weekend.

That area is the heart of the state’s evangelical demographic, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is also working hard to court those voters.

Currently, 51% of evangelicals appear to support Trump, with 26% for DeSantis and 12% supporting former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

So what’s changed for Trump since 2016?

Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition President Steve Scheffler said one reason is that Trump showed he would make good on promises made during his campaign.

“One was when he promised several times and finally convinced people that, if he were elected, he would pick Supreme Court, appellate court, district court nominees out of a list provided to him by the Heritage Foundation,” he said.

Scheffler also said Trump choosing Mike Pence to serve as vice president reassured evangelicals who liked Pence’s track record.

Voters also like Trump’s boldness, feeling that he will fight for their values, and some even see him as sent by God to do the job of president of the United States.