Forecasts call for the lowest temperatures ever for an event that dates back to the 1970s. That could put a dent in turnout, especially among older voters, for the first 2024 Republican nomination balloting.
Daytime temperatures on Monday, the day of the caucuses, aren’t expected to get above zero in the state capital of Des Moines, with the potential to dip below that by double digits by the time 1,657 Republican precinct meetings convene at 7 p.m. local time. Wind chills will make it feel even colder.
“If it’s sunny during the day, but really, really cold and the roads are passable, we’ll manage,” said Craig Robinson, a former Republican Party political director in Iowa. “Where you could really see falloff is older people, who don’t really like to be out driving around in the dark anyway.”
[That sounds like an opportunity for younger candidates in the race, especially the one with the robust organization on the ground to get people to the caucus meetings. Will that be enough to overcome a 30-point gap, assuming the polls have been accurate? Eh … that seems doubtful. — Ed]
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