Monday is caucus night in Iowa — the first time in the 2024 presidential campaign that Republican voters will have their say on who their party’s nominee should be.
Former President Donald Trump holds a commanding lead over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, with Haley and DeSantis fighting it out in what could be a close race for second place in Iowa.
All three candidates have been making their final arguments and rallying supporters to turn out on a what is shaping up to be the coldest caucus night on record.
DeSantis draws Iowans — and political tourism
Before the doors opened for a Ron DeSantis rally at a strip mall event hall in Clive Thursday, there was already a line of people waiting to get in. Among Iowa voters were political tourists — a college class from Cincinnati, a couple from Michigan, supporters from as far as Tennessee.
Amy and Lance Hemphill, from Urbandale, said they're still undecided on a candidate, but came to hear more specifics from DeSantis, especially on education.
It's one of Amy's top priorities.
"Those are our future, you know, so if you’re not going to put your investment into your kids and get them a good, solid education, then what are we doing?" she said.
Inside the event hall, DeSantis channeled her concerns, recalling a fight with Disney over Florida’s law — similar to Iowa’s — banning instruction about sexual orientation and gender identity.
"I don't care if you're the most powerful company or not, if we can't stand up for the well-being of our kids, what are we even doing here?" he said.
An endorsement from Gov. Kim Reynolds never delivered front-runner status over Trump. But DeSantis says a campaign with him as the nominee will be about conservative issues. With Trump at the top of the ticket, he says, it will be about... Trump. He says that would give Democrats the advantage.
"If he's the nominee, the whole election is going to be about legal issues, criminal trials or maybe criminal convictions by then," he said. "The whole election is going to be about those issues and not your issues."
After the rally., Tim Gorre, from Cumming, said he’s supporting DeSantis because he agrees Trump would be weighed down by four criminal indictments.
"But I would like to see the country move past that, and I’d rather have eight years of Ron than four years of Trump," he said.
Gorre says he’ll support Trump if he’s on the ballot in November, but he’s hoping the Iowa caucuses give DeSantis momentum to make a run for the nomination.
For Haley supporters, coming in second means victory
It was a cold night Thursday, but it didn’t stop former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley’s supporters, who were eagerly awaiting her at the Olympic Theater in Cedar Rapids.
The man putting out Haley signs out front isn’t from around here, but he used to be. Venkat Eleswarapu and his wife Usha met in Iowa City in the late 80s as PhD students at the University of Iowa. They now live in Virgina Beach, but they’re back in town volunteering for Haley’s campaign.
They like that she’s young — and they like that she’s not Trump.
“I don’t want more fighting just for the sake of fighting," Usha said.
Usha was front and center behind Haley as she pitched a room of around 100 Iowans.
“The only way we get out of this is if we elect a new conservative leader to carry us forward and leave the negativity and baggage behind and focus on the solutions of the future. And you can’t do that with either Biden or Trump," Haley said.
Telling the crowd that she’d lock down the border, defund sanctuary cities and keep transgender kids out girls sports drew big applause.
“Don’t complain about what happens in a general election if you don’t play in this caucus," she said. "It matters.”
Haley has said she would sign an abortion ban if Congress sends her one. But she has also talked about abortion as a sensitive issue for voters and a losing issue for Republicans.
Audrey Cleppe of Cedar Rapids says this appealed to her.
“She had talked about abortion. She seems like she’s a little bit lenient more than some of the others as far as the abortion," Cleppe said. "I think there are exceptions to the rules on it.”
Mike Kuebler, from Cedar Falls, has been following Haley since she called fellow candidate Vivek Ramaswamy "scum" for going after her child in a debate.
After seeing her speak, Kuebler is all in for Haley. But he has no illusions. Trump is far ahead. But for Kuebler, second is a victory.
“I think second place is going to be huge.”
Trump urges voters to caucus for him at all costs
Trump was in Indianola on Sunday for a campaign rally, where he urged his supporters to turn out and caucus for him Monday night.
“You can’t sit home," he said. "If you’re sick as a dog, you say darling... even if you vote and then pass away, it’s worth it.”
He says the recent blizzard and dangerously low temperatures “had zero effect” on people attending his rally, where some waited outside in the freezing cold to see him.
"So brave the weather and go out and save America, because that’s what you’re doing. This is really about saving our country," he said.
Trump had a nearly 30-point lead in the latest Iowa Poll as he continues to face 91 criminal charges — some related to his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
He keeps telling his supporters — without evidence — that the justice department is targeting him to interfere in the election. Trump says voters should choose him because he’d beat President Joe Biden, even though Trump lost to him in 2020.
“The Washington swamp has done everything in its power to take away your voice. But tomorrow is your time to turn on them and to say and speak your mind and to vote. And we’re going to take this country back, we’re going to make it greater than ever before," he said.
Trump says he’ll crack down on people crossing the southern border, make his tax cuts permanent and investigate the prosecutors who are investigating him.
Trump accused Haley of being beholden to big donors. He also called DeSantis and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds “disloyal.”
One of his former opponents in the presidential race, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, came onstage and endorsed Trump.
"Tomorrow when you caucus, you have an opportunity to send a message to the nation and send a message to the world that Donald J. Trump will make America great again," he said.
The Iowa caucuses begin at 7 p.m. Monday. Follow for updates.
