Iowa Caucus Final Dash Shaken by Biting Cold and Snowstorm
On the eve of the Iowa Republican caucuses, severe winter weather, including a significant blizzard, has disrupted the final days of campaigning for the 2024 presidential hopefuls. The adverse conditions have led to travel complications, with flight cancellations and delays potentially affecting voter turnout as well as the arrival of candidates and their teams. The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Des Moines, citing wind gusts of up to 45 mph and extreme wind chills that could reach 45 degrees below zero on the night of the caucuses.
Former President Donald Trump, widely anticipated to win the Iowa contest, is facing competition for second place from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Both Trump and his challengers have cancelled or rescheduled events due to the inclement weather. With Trump leading in the polls by a considerable margin, strategists and campaign staff are speculating on how the weather may affect his expected victory and the performance of DeSantis and Haley. Unlike primaries, caucuses require participants to vote in person at specific locations during set times, a process that could be heavily impacted by the severe weather conditions. Local Iowa leaders remain uncertain about the potential influence of the weather on caucus turnout, despite calls from the candidates for voters to brave the conditions.
