Donald Trump in Council Bluffs. (file photo)
The chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa is attending his first presidential inauguration today.
“It is a busy, chaotic, wonderful ‘little d’ democratic experiment out here,” Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann told Radio Iowa.
Kaufmann, who is from Wilton, flew to D.C. earlier this week. He attended a Republican National Committee meeting on Thursday. Kaufmann is one of the ticket-holders who will be there today, watching in person, when Trump takes the oath of office.
“We have somebody that’s not the same old thing,” Kaufmann told Radio Iowa.
Kaufmann attended the jam-packed reception Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst threw yesterday for Iowans who were in Washington for the inauguration.
“Obviously most of the people I’m interacting with are Republicans,” Kaufmann said. “I really get the feeling that there is an optimism and that optimism is based on a simple fact, a simple axiom of politics and that is: do what you said you would do. And I think if Donald Trump does that, we’re going to keep the enthusiasm and this optimism is going to be merited.”
The schedule for today’s inauguration indicates Mike Pence will be sworn in as president at about 10:30 Iowa time. Trump will take the oath of office at around 11 o’clock Iowa time. According to the official schedule, the entire ceremony is to end before the clock strikes noon in Iowa.
The inaugural parade is to start at two o’clock Iowa time.