Campaign events are dwindling rapidly in Iowa due to wintry weather affecting the leadoff GOP caucus state. Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, and former President Donald Trump have adjusted their schedules ahead of Monday’s presidential votes as prolonged freezing temperatures and strong winds threaten potentially life-threatening conditions on caucus night.
While Iowans are accustomed to cold weather, the current winter wave, combined with forecasts predicting even colder temperatures, could result in unprecedented conditions for the caucus night itself. Forecasters anticipate significant winds that could make it feel as cold as 45 degrees below zero, potentially discouraging voters from participating.
Despite the challenging weather, some Iowans remain determined to attend the caucuses. Jillian McKee of Des Moines, walking her dog in the pouring snow, expressed her intention to show up on Monday night, leaning toward caucusing for Haley.
Haley and DeSantis have reshaped their campaign strategies in response to the weather conditions. Haley shifted in-person events to tele-town halls, while DeSantis postponed events further from Des Moines due to unsafe weather conditions. Trump also adjusted plans, shifting some rally events to tele-rallies, maintaining an in-person rally on Sunday in Indianola.
The weather challenges have not deterred DeSantis’s campaign, emphasizing their intention to compete for every available delegate in key states like New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. While traditional campaign strategies involve moving directly to New Hampshire after Iowa, DeSantis plans to intensify his campaign efforts in both South Carolina and New Hampshire immediately after the Iowa caucuses.
Iowa’s winter weather has prompted adjustments in the campaign schedules of other candidates, such as biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who canceled an event but expressed determination to stay on the trail “for as long as we can (asterisk)physically(asterisk) make it.”
Despite the challenges, Iowa Republicans have affirmed their commitment to maintaining the caucus’s timing, citing past experiences with various weather conditions. National Weather Service data indicates that the forecast for January 15th would make it the coldest Iowa caucus night on record. Nonetheless, Iowa GOP spokesperson Kush Desai reiterated their commitment to keeping Iowa first in the nation in the presidential nominating process.
As the snow and cold weather create complications for candidates and voters, McKee, acknowledging the challenges, offered an apology to visiting journalists and politicos. She noted the difficulties posed by the Iowa snowstorm but remarked that it seemed fitting for the Iowa caucuses.
