Even among the self-selected sample of would-be caucusgoers who turned out for Bush’s final events of this caucus season, many were largely noncommittal about supporting him.

Larry Schroeder, a retiree who attended Bush’s noon-hour event in Clear Lake on Saturday, said he was impressed but remained “up in the air” on who to support. Clear Lake Mayor Nelson Crabb offered a similar view. He attended the Bush event but said he planned to stop by a Chris Christie even later that evening.

Deb Manske, a retired schoolteacher from Algona who attended the Clear Lake event, offered a string of superlatives for Bush, variously calling him serious, genuine, caring, honest and intelligent.

“He wants to help people. That’s what you want in a president,” Manske said.

But for all that, she wasn’t ready to commit.