Republicans are in a fierce competition as they’ve crisscrossed all Iowa’s 99 counties ahead of Monday’s caucuses. Prominent Republicans have made extensive efforts to court Iowans, but going into the caucuses, former President Donald Trump is maintaining a substantial lead over his rivals in the polls.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have traveled extensively in the state, in an effort to close the gap, and in recent weeks, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has also been campaigning in Iowa.
When are the Iowa caucuses?
The Republican Party will hold its caucuses on Monday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. CT, or 8 p.m. ET. Iowa Democrats are holding a caucus on the same day, but are opting for voters to choose their candidate entirely by mail-in ballot this election cycle and will release the results on Super Tuesday on March 5.
Following the chaotic events of Democratic 2020 caucuses, Iowa Democrats had overhauled their caucus and presidential delegate selection process to ensure an indisputable winner.
Iowa Prepares For State’s Caucuses, As Large Snowstorms Hit The State
President Biden and his team will instead prioritize South Carolina as the initial state in the lineup, succeeded by New Hampshire and Nevada a week later, with Michigan following. Originally, the plan included Georgia holding a primary just before Michigan, but Democratic efforts to advance their date faced resistance from Republicans in the state.
But New Hampshire has opted to maintain its first-in-nation primary status and will hold its primary on Jan. 23, and Mr. Biden will not be on the ballot. His team has led a write-in campaign in the state.