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Here’s how GOP candidates are coping with sub-zero temperatures for Iowa’s crucial caucuses

January 13, 2024 | | Print Article

Forget the border crisis, foreign wars, and the U.S. economy — the big issue heading into Monday’s Iowa caucuses is the weather.

“Life threatening wind chills are expected Saturday night into early next week,” IowaWeather.com reported on Thursday. “A wind chill watch is in effect for a large portion of Iowa. This watch will be in effect from Saturday evening through Tuesday morning as wind chills of 30 to 45 below zero will be possible.”

“A wind chill warning will be in effect from Friday evening through Tuesday at noon for portions of western Iowa as wind chills as low as 45 below zero will be possible,” the online weather network added.

As the weekend approached, a blizzard warning went into effect for all of central Iowa.

(Video: YouTube)

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Blaze TV’s Steve Deace hosts his popular show from Iowa. A bit of an expert with Iowa’s caucuses, Deace has been keeping an eye on the weather.

“Des Moines lows down to minus-13; Cedar Rapids lows down to minus-14; Sioux City lows down to minus-14,” he reported on Tuesday. “Yes, those are air temperatures.”

“Just had to go outside to rescue a bunny caught in my egress,” the conservative host wrote Friday on X. “Some of the absolute worst weather I’ve ever experienced. Hurt to breathe. Revise your Iowa Caucus turnout projections down!”

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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vowed on Friday not to let the freezing temperatures dampen his Iowa efforts.

“I will brave whatever is thrown at me — nothing is handed to you in life,” he stated on X. “So if we have to trudge through snow to earn the vote, we’ll trudge through snow!”

When Mother Nature forced candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to cancel one of his campaign events, he personally called everyone who RSVP’d.

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On Saturday morning, Ramaswamy announced a full day of scheduled events.

“George Washington braved the weather to cross the Delaware,” he wrote on X. “Another snow day in Iowa, another day of events for us. First event starts in 1 hour. We’ll continue to every last one for as long as we can *physically* make it.”

On Thursday, Nikki Haley urged her Cedar Rapids supporters to show up for her on Monday.

“Don’t complain about what happens in the general election if you don’t play in this caucus,” she warned. “It matters.”

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South Carolina state Senator Tom Davis wasn’t about to let the weather stop him from getting to Iowa to back his former governor.

“All flights to Des Moines canceled today because of a blizzard there. After assessing options I decided to rent a car at the Charlotte airport and drive the 818 miles,” he stated on X. “I’m not going to pass on campaigning for ⁦[Nikki Haley]⁩ in the snow.”

“Team Haley is all in!” Haley exclaimed in response as she wished the senator a safe trip.


And, over on Truth Social, former President Donald Trump posted on Friday a video message “TO THE GREAT PEOPLE OF IOWA.”

“Hello, Iowa, this is your favorite president,” he began, “and we’re going to make America great again.”

“I’m leaving very shortly for your beautiful state. I love that state. I love the people in the state,” the GOP frontrunner said. “I’m going to get there sometime around Saturday night, or something.”

“One way or another, I’m getting there,” Trump vowed. “You have the worst weather, I guess, in recorded history, but maybe that’s good, because our people are more committed than anybody else, so maybe it’s actually a good thing for us.”

“But we have to make sure we caucus on Monday, 6:30, get there a half-hour before the 7 o’clock bell,” he directed his supporters. “And we’re going to do something that’s really special. We’re going to start with you, and then we’re going to turn our country around, and it’s going to be amazing.”

Melissa Fine
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