A music shop, a bar, a grain elevator: Inside some of Iowa's most unique caucus sites
Here are reports from caucus sites throughout Iowa.
Interstate 35 Community School District
405 E. North St., Truro
Results:
Donald Trump, 65%.
Ron DeSantis 23%.
Nikki Haley 17%.
Vivek Ramaswamy 3%.
Around 100 Madison County residents met up in the Interstate 35 school library, greeted by caucus leadership and fellow caucusgoer Gov. Kim Reynolds, who with husband Kevin owns a Madison County home.
Reynolds' appearance was a welcome surprise, according to the caucus leaders. But caucusgoer Angie Daniels, 52, who wore a sticker for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, said it wasn't a surprise for her.
"This shows Iowa community and neighbors coming together because it doesn't matter who your dog in the fight is, because, at the end, we look out for each other," Daniels said.
While voters poured into the library, Reynolds chatted with those who had gathered on their respective sides of the room, divided into two precincts. As the caucus began, she spoke on behalf of DeSantis, whom she had endorsed in the race.
"We need somebody that can step in on day one and reverse the chaos," she told the room. "We need someone that is focused on the future and not the past. We need someone who puts America first."
But she failed to sway the room, which went overwhelmingly for former President Donald Trump.
― Kyle Werner
Recap: Full coverage and reaction from the Iowa Caucuses
Hoover High School
4800 N.W. Aurora Ave., Des Moines
Results:
Donald Trump, 36%.
Ron DeSantis, 28%.
Nikki Haley, 26%.
Vivek Ramaswamy, 9%.
Asa Hutchinson, <1%.
On a frigid night, Carhartt coats were the vogue and former President Donald Trump was the candidate of choice for two northwest Des Moines precincts caucusing at Hoover High School.
Both precincts had their voting completed in less than an hour.
Tim Jobes, speaking on behalf of Trump in Precinct 9, urged fellow caucus-goers to ignore some of the campaign rhetoric saying Trump cannot win a general election against President Joe Biden.
He said that if the latest Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll, released Saturday, is correct, Nikki Haley is at 20% and Donald Trump is at 48%, which would presage the largest caucus victory in modern history.
"You are running away if you think he (Trump) can’t win and are voting for another candidate,” Jobes said.
But Hal Lambert, a Ron DeSantis backer from Texas who has appeared on a number of national television broadcasts on the Florida governor's behalf, said DeSantis is the only Republican candidate who can beat Trump and would beat Biden in a general election.
“Trump got 36% in this precinct. That means 64% don’t want him,” Lambert said, speaking specifically of the Precinct 9 results.
Tony Cupp, speaking on behalf of Haley, also made the electability argument on her behalf.
“Nikki Haley has the grit and grace to get things done and she is the only candidate who can beat both Donald Trump and Joe Biden,” Cupp said.
― Kevin Baskins
Terrace View Event Center
230 St. Andrews Way, Sioux Center
Results:
Ron DeSantis, 35%.
Donald Trump, 34%.
Nikki Haley, 24%.
Vivek Ramaswamy, 7%.
Ryan Binkley, <1%.
Bitter cold and biting winds were not enough to deter the hundreds of rural Iowans who made the journey to the caucus site.
Over 350 Iowans filed into the venue, many of them middle-aged and older.
The Associated Press called the Iowa race for Trump just over half an hour into the caucuses, leaving Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley to battle for second place in the state. But DeSantis was the top vote-getter in that Terrace View Event Center.
"People want change. They want to see a new face," said Michael DeJung, a caucus volunteer. "There's a lot of energy going into tonight and we're excited to see people stream in."
Jacob Hall, caucus chair, reacted with slight surprise at the win for Trump in Iowa, but he rationalized that a close vote in Sioux Center is as good as a win in the county.
"I think everyone knew Trump would win, but for the state, I think weather played its part," Hall said. "I think people who vote for Donald Trump are going to walk through broken glass to vote."
Jonathan Gingrich, 30, said he wants Haley to be the next president because she represents a more "moderate" option.
"I think she could drive both the Republican party and the U.S. forward," Gingrich said.
Cole Cleveringa, a 21-year-old college student, named DeSantis as his choice, reasoning that he would be able to build up America's economy.
"[Former President Donald] Trump is too divisive," Cleveringa said. "I feel like DeSantis would accomplish the same things as Trump without the divisive rhetoric."
― Dominik Dausch
More: Iowa caucus results: Here's where to find results, follow live coverage Monday
Heartland Grain Elevator
107 Second St., Malcom
Results:
Donald Trump, 43%.
Ron DeSantis, 35%.
Nikki Haley, 4%.
Ryan Binkley, 1%.
Caucus night is an almost familial affair at Heartland Co-op. In a city with a population of 266, 23 residents chattered among themselves in the grain elevator’s basement office, leaving their coats, hats and gloves on in the damp, chilly air.
Instead of moving speeches on behalf of the campaigns, individuals gave their opinions on the candidates.
"DeSantis supports the things that I believe are important,” said Craig Johnstone, 77, of Grinnell. “He supports men playing men’s sports and women playing women’s sports. The other candidates have not taken a definitive stance on that.”
The discussion may have swayed some present: former President Donald Trump beat DeSantis by only two votes.
― Addison Lathers
Thoma’s Dairy Bar
103 N. Main St., Garnavillo
Results:
Donald Trump, 64%.
Ron DeSantis, 21%.
Vivek Ramaswamy, 5%.
Nikki Haley, 4%.
Asa Hutchinson, 1%.
In the back dining room of Thoma’s Dairy Bar, a mom-and-pop diner known for its hearty egg-and-bacon-and-hashbrown breakfasts served with pancakes as big as garbage can lids, 70 people — nearly 10% of the town of Garnavillo in extreme eastern Iowa — gathered for a caucus that lacked the pomp and circumstance — and national media glare — of many others Monday night.
A handful of red Trump hats were the most political glitz on display, and, in the hourlong event, the presidential poll took mere minutes. The letter sent by Ryan Binkley’s campaign and read by the precinct chair was the longest statement for any candidate.
The rest of the evening was filled with detailed and vigorous discussions of possible platform planks, which ran the gamut from finishing the border wall to enacting term limits on federal representatives and senators to hardening the electrical grid. Only one suggested platform plank was voted down by the gathered: the Republicans who caucused in this precinct had no interest in legalizing cannabis.
― Courtney Crowder
Lee Stofer’s Music Shop
3583 260th St., Camanche
Results:
Donald Trump, 80%.
Ron DeSantis, 9%.
Nikki Haley, 9%.
Vivek Ramaswamy, <3%.
A small Republican precinct in rural Clinton County saw big turnout on Monday evening for Donald Trump among the 35 total attendees who packed themselves into Lee Stofer’s Music Shop, located outside Camanche.
Low Moor resident Ken Snodgrass encouraged the fellow caucusgoers, who stood among tubas, music stands and woodwind instrument parts, to “stay the course” and re-elect Trump for president.
Unsurprisingly, the polling frontrunner won big. Perhaps more interesting was the tie between the second-place competitors, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley.
— Michaela Ramm
Stutsman Retail Center
350 Oak Crest Hill Road S.E., Hills
Results:
Donald Trump, 56%.
Ron DeSantis, 17%.
Nikki Haley, 14%.
Vivek Ramaswamy, 11%.
Ryan Binkley, 1%.
Braving still snow-covered, icy roads and arctic cold temperatures, nearly 75 voters turned out at the Republican caucus in Hills to help kick off the 2024 election season, showing resounding support for former president Donald Trump.
Leon Van Horn, 67, has lived in Iowa for a half century. He caucused for Trump on Monday night and said the economy was his top issue.
“Everything’s so expensive,” Van Horn said.
He was raised by Democrats and even caucused for Hillary Clinton in the run-up to the 2008 presidential election. But after the election of Barack Obama, who he called a “wolf in sheep’s clothing” for broken promises and subsequent economic shortcomings, he felt that Democrats were not doing enough to help keep dollars in his pockets.
“Things were so much better under Trump,” Van Horn said. “Cost of oil, cost of gas… cost of living. Now, it’s insane.”
― Ryan Hansen
Ames Middle School
3915 Mortensen Road, Ames
Results:
Nikki Haley, 29%.
Donald Trump, 28%.
Ron DeSantis, 28%.
Vivek Ramaswamy, 13%.
Ryan Binkley, 2%.
Nikki Haley prevailed in a tight race over former president Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis in three Ames precincts, edging the out by a single vote.
Despite the sub-zero temperatures, about 120 voters braved the chill to turn up at the middle school, determined to be the first in the nation to vote for a Republican candidate.
No matter the group size, each of the precincts had supporters eager to speak on behalf of their chosen candidate. Several candidate signs and pamphlets were scattered throughout the precincts, and caucus captains continued to talk to voters until it was time for voting to begin.
Caucusgoers cast their vote by scribbling their names on small pieces of scratch paper, which were then counted. Proceedings were calm and orderly, with precinct chairs taking the time to tally the votes.
― Celia Brocker
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: What happened at Iowa caucus sites - from a bar to a music shop
