Iowa Republicans left the warmth of their homes Monday to caucus across the Hawkeye state for the 2024 GOP presidential nominee of their choice — the majority of them showed up to support the reelection campaign of former President Donald Trump.
Political analysts and commentators considered in the days leading up to it whether the snap of freezing weather across the U.S. in time for Monday’s first-in-the-nation Iowa caucus would keep cold Iowans from caucusing.
🚨CNN Iowa Caucus Entrance Poll:
“Do You Think Biden Legitimately Won in 2020?:
-YES: 28%
-NO: 68% pic.twitter.com/f8Er0NLDbj— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 16, 2024
But as Chris Nelson, a 39-year-old marketing executive from Iowa put it, there was no way the cold weather would have kept Iowans from turning out to perform their political duties: “I don’t think people understand Iowans. This is just another day in January for us.”
Nelson showed up amid Monday night’s frigid temperatures to Emerson Elementary School in an agricultural country town 15 miles south of downtown Des Moines with 150 other Republicans to caucus. Nelson says he supports Donald Trump for president because he believes the 45th president will follow through on policies to close the border.
In addition to Nelson, there was James Spiker, a 75-year-old disabled Vietnam War veteran, who caucused with his oxygen tank and walker in tow, following Trump’s lead who told voters on Sunday to rise from their sick beds to vote for him if that’s what it would take.
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HISTORIC: First-time Iowa caucus-goers came out overwhelmingly in support of President Trump last night!This is just another example of the incredible momentum behind #Trump2024! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/R8jk3oQvbX
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) January 16, 2024
“Nothing would stop me coming here to vote for Trump,” said Spiker. “He may not be a perfect man, but he knew what he was doing.” The New York Post reported every other caucusgoer who spoke to the post supported Trump for president and considered the illegal immigrant crisis at the southern border their number one issue with the economy as their second place priority.
Before writing down the name of their preferred candidate on an orange piece of paper, each voter in attendance had the opportunity to give a short speech for their candidate to potentially persuade others to make a last-minute decision at the caucus.
At the Emerson Elementary caucus, five of the speakers gave remarks on behalf of Trump. Official Trump campaign caucus captain, 60-year-old Joani Estes led the speakers, reading from a three-minute official Trump campaign script. It begins, “I’m here on behalf of the greatest president of our lifetime and the only candidate who can beat Joe Biden.”
