The final weekend of campaigning is ahead, leading up to what may be the chilliest evening ever for the Iowa Caucuses.
The candidates are fully aware of the forecast.
During an event early Thursday morning, Ron DeSantis said Floridians usually don’t go north in the winter. “I haven’t ever experienced negative 15 degrees in my life,” he said.
Nikki Haley is from South Carolina. “In October and November and December I’m like: ‘It’s cold!’ And everybody was like: ‘No, it’s really mild.’ I get it now,” Haley said, speaking after DeSantis at the same forum.
Iowa State University political science professor Dave Peterson said the temperatures will be a test of voters’ attitudes about the candidates. “You’re going to have to be pretty enthusiastic to go out there Monday night,” Peterson told Radio Iowa.
Peterson has been directing a monthly Civiqs Poll for the past five months. In December, he described support for former President Trump as “durable.” Peterson is using the word “immovable” after this month’s poll.
“Nothing’s changed,” Peterson said. “It’s an entirely stable race.”
Jean Schlichtemeier of West Des Moines is was Trump voter 2016 and 2020 General Elections and she intends to Caucus for Trump Monday. “I think the other candidates are just playing politics and we need someone who’s gutsy — and this man seems to have guts,” she said while waiting in line to see Trump last weekend in Newton.
In 2016, 37,000 Iowans who were Democrats registered as Republicans on Caucus Night in order to cast a straw poll vote for president. Mary Howard of Cedar Rapids said it’s hard to decide which party’s caucus she’ll attend this year.
“I want to vote against Trump which would be the reason to go to the Republican Party thing,” Howard said as she waited to enter a Haley event, “but I’m unsure of the candidates.”
There is one sure thing. The Caucuses will start at 7 p.m. Monday, regardless of the weather.