Donald Trump’s Iowa operation suggests his campaign will be formidable
KRISTI NOEM came to north-west Iowa to stump for Donald Trump on January 3rd, but the event doubled as a running-mate audition. “Worked with him when he was in the White House on tax cuts. Worked with him on policies, trade agreements,” South Dakota’s governor told the crowd. “Worked on foreign policy with him.” Despite Mr Trump’s absence, the event also featured many hallmarks of his rallies. Merch, including shirts with Mr Trump’s mugshot, was for sale out front. The MAGA faithful filled the room, even on a freezing Wednesday night. And hundreds went home with foam koozies (cup-holders) reminding everyone that Mr Trump was a BACK TO BACK IOWA CHAMP.
The former president won the state comfortably in the 2016 and 2020 general elections. Yet his current popularity makes it easy to forget that his first electoral foray in Iowa did not go well: despite leading in surveys ahead of the 2016 caucuses, he had an anaemic on-the-ground operation and finished second behind a better-organised Republican, Ted Cruz. This year a more methodical Trump operation is trying to project confidence but not complacency.
The quirky nature of the Iowa caucuses, scheduled for January 15th, makes organising more complicated. Rather than casting ballots at polls or by post, almost all voters must arrive on time and in person for caucuses, held in the evening at 1,657 distinct precincts. Speeches take place in support of candidates, and voters usually write their preference on a blank piece of paper. The campaign says it has trained 2,000 “caucus captains” to deliver speeches and recruit neighbours to attend the caucus and support Mr Trump.
2024-01-10 09:25:16
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