On the day of the caucus, the temperature felt close to minus 40 degrees Celsius.
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“People from Florida don’t come up north in January. Still, I will run full speed to the Iowa caucuses.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ campaign rally held in Anchorage, Iowa, USA at 7:15 am on the 12th (local time). When Governor DeSantis, who came up to the podium and joked in the introduction of Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds, saying, “Please welcome the next President of the United States,” applause and cheers erupted.
In Iowa, where a snow storm hit, the perceived temperature that day dropped to around -30 degrees Celsius, and snow that fell overnight piled up to knee height. However, about 50 Iowans braved the snow storm to attend Governor DeSantis’ campaign rally hosted by a conservative group.
Governor DeSantis took aim at former President Donald Trump, saying, “I’m tired of the Republican Party continuing to lose.” He continued, “Although I share many policies with the former president, the problem is that too many people oppose him (former President Trump),” and “We cannot waste our votes. “This is why I am your best choice.”
View largerFlorida Governor Ron DeSantis, a U.S. Republican presidential candidate, is talking to attendees after holding a campaign rally in Anchorage, Iowa, on the 12th (local time). Des Moines = Governor DeSantis, who was once called ‘Smart Trump’ and attracted attention as the future of the Republican Party, is not only former President Trump, who rebounded from the judicial risk, but also Haley, who is creating a sensation with the public support of anti-Trump Republican Party large donation groups. Even the former ambassador fell behind.
However, Governor DeSantis is not hiding his expectations that the worst cold weather ever to hit Iowa could bring about something unexpected. Carlson Odle (22), who visited the campaign rally that day, said, “Governor DeSantis will be able to accomplish what former President Trump was unable to accomplish,” and added, “Former President Trump’s approval rating is significantly ahead, but DeSantis is unlikely to win due to the snow storm.” “I think there is,” he said. An official from Governor DeSantis’ campaign emphasized, “We are the only candidate who visited all 99 counties in Iowa.” It is argued that as voter turnout decreases due to the extreme cold, Governor DeSantis, who has strong organizational skills, will have an advantage.
The Iowa caucuses are held in a way that party members gather at more than 1,500 party convention locations and decide on a candidate to support through discussions and support speeches. The problem is that on the 15th, when the caucuses are held, the temperature is expected to drop to a minimum of -27 degrees Celsius, with a perceived temperature of -40 degrees Celsius, so there is a high possibility that the caucuses will be held in the worst cold weather in history.
The severe cold that has hit the central United States is holding back Republican primary candidates who are making a last-minute all-out effort three days before the Iowa caucuses. Former President Trump, who was away from Iowa to attend a trial held in New York, also canceled a public rally scheduled to resume in a week this afternoon and decided to hold a phone campaign. Former Ambassador Haley also changed all three election campaigns scheduled for that day to ‘telephone town hall’ campaigns. The New York Times pointed out, “The severe cold has even frozen the candidates’ competition for the Iowa caucuses.” Governor DeSantis, who went ahead with the morning schedule despite the snow storm, eventually canceled the afternoon rally, but held an unscheduled outdoor press conference. The analysis is that this is a move to highlight ‘youth’, which is the biggest weapon in competition with former President Trump.
View largerFormer President Donald Trump is holding a press conference after being tried at the Manhattan District Court in New York on the 11th (local time). Former President Trump, who was scheduled to resume his campaign in Iowa on the 12th, canceled the campaign due to the snow storm. AP/NewsisSome speculate that the extreme cold could cause cracks in the early primary strategy of former President Trump, who was expecting an overwhelming victory in the Iowa caucuses. Former President Trump plans to break the upward trend of former Ambassador Haley, who is closely following former President Trump, in the New Hampshire primary to be held on the 23rd with a major victory that exceeds the largest vote margin in Iowa caucus history (12.5 percentage points). .
However, the analysis is that voter turnout in rural areas of Iowa and the elderly, where former President Trump has strong support, could be a last-minute variable. “We already have the votes to win,” Chris Lasivita, a former senior adviser to Trump’s presidential campaign, told Bloomberg News. “All we have to do is get our supporters to vote.”
However, as former President Trump has maintained an approval rating of over 50% in public opinion polls, the prevailing view is that it will be difficult to achieve a major surprise. Iowa resident Michelle Dillon (56) said, “Haley doesn’t seem to know whose side she should be on yet, and DeSantis has nothing to show for it compared to Trump,” and added, “No matter where you go in rural areas, everyone is a Trump supporter.”
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Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.