DES MOINES, Iowa — Once-in-a-decade weather is complicating the 2024 Republican candidates’ final pitches to likely Iowa caucusgoers and creating concerns regarding turnout for Monday’s opening primary nominating contest, predicted to be the coldest caucus in recorded history.
Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), accompanied by Gov. Kim Reynolds (R-IA), spoke at a Northside Conservatives Club meeting in Ankeny on Friday morning amid freezing temperatures and continued snowfall, with up to 4 inches expected over the day. The governor canceled his next two events in Clear Lake and Marshalltown, with his campaign promising to monitor Pella and Coralville in case it needed to provide updates to attendees concerning the schedule.
“Most Floridians don’t come north in January,” DeSantis told the crowd in Ankeny. “I’m really impressed that so many people came out, given the weather. I’m going full speed ahead with whatever we have, but we want people to be safe.”
“Our 5-year-old son is with us. A month ago, he had never even seen snow, and now, he’s in the midst of a blizzard,” he said. “So I did promise him whenever we get a break in the action today, he’s going to be able to do a snowball fight with me.”
Former President Donald Trump‘s campaign also canceled its event on Friday with Arizona Republican Senate candidate Kari Lake in Pella, while former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley announced Thursday night her plans for Fort Dodge, Le Mars, and Council Bluffs would now be telephone town halls instead.
“Stormy weather won’t stop us from ensuring Iowans hear Nikki’s vision for a strong and proud America,” said Pat Garrett, Haley’s Iowa spokesman. “With only three days until the caucuses, we’re going to keep telling voters why they should pick Nikki.”
Vivek Ramaswamy, who FaceTimed into his Pella event from his car this week because of an earlier snowstorm, did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment about any changes. Ramaswamy had criticized Haley for canceling her meet-and-greet last Tuesday before his vehicle ended up in a ditch.
Just got back to Des Moines after a 5+ hour drive in snow from northwest Iowa. Got stuck in snow ditch on the way. 5 of us tried to push SUV out, finally got it done with extra help from a good Iowan.
Our next 7 events will continue as planned, starting at 9am in Coralville. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/ahBRfFubJ0
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 9, 2024
With forecasts indicating there will be lows of minus 19 degrees Fahrenheit and highs of minus 2 on Monday, at least in the Des Moines area, candidates have been candid about the impact the weather could have on the race.
“I know it’s going to be cold. I know it’s going to be not the most pleasant, but I don’t think you’ll ever be able to cast a vote that has more impact given the circumstance,” DeSantis said. “We don’t know what the turnout is going to be. It could be much smaller than what it’s been in the [2016] cycle. That’s possible. So if you’re going out and you’re bringing four or five different friends with you or family members, that is going to pack a punch in a way that voting in a general election just simply would not at that level.”
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But Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was unconcerned about the weather’s impact on caucus night. “The answer is no. It will not affect.”
Samantha-Jo Roth contributed to this report.