IOWA, USA — The 2024 Iowa caucuses are finally here.
Voters in Iowa will head to caucus sites across the state on Monday night to voice their support for the GOP presidential nominee. Forty delegates are up for grabs with 1,215 needed to become the Republican nominee for president, according to FiveThirtyEight.
The events started at 7 p.m. Monday, with Republicans filling out ballots to support candidates and Democrats mostly handling party business.
Iowa is looking at the coldest caucus on record since temperatures won't climb above zero for most towns.
Des Moines can expect a high temperature near -1° Monday afternoon, but a stiff northwesterly breeze will keep wind chills in the -20s and -30s. Statewide conditions will be similar.
Below are the latest updates from the campaigns and political reporters in the field.
Caucus resources
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends presidential campaign
Vivek Ramaswamy suspended his campaign just before 10:30 p.m. on caucus night. With 90% of precincts reported, Ramaswamy garnered only 7.7% of the votes.
Ramaswamy announced the suspension at a press conference in Des Moines.
He endorsed former President Donald Trump, who AP projected as the winner hours before.
In Trump's speech at the Iowa Events Center an hour before Ramaswamy's announcement, he commended the entrepreneur for his work on the campaign trail.
“I also want to congratulate Vivek because he did a hell of a job. He did an amazing job," Trump said.
Donald Trump speaks at Iowa Events Center following projected win
Just hours after AP called Donald Trump as the 2024 Iowa GOP caucuses' projected winner, the former president spoke at a watch party located in the Iowa Events Center.
In his speech, he thanked his family, Congresspeople who supported him and his fellow 2024 GOP candidates.
“I want to congratulate Ron and Nikki for having a good time together. We’re all having a good time together. I think they both actually did very well,” he said.
Trump also thanked Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, who endorsed him back in October, for her bravery and "standing up" against the pack — likely a dig at Gov. Kim Reynolds, who endorsed Ron DeSantis over the former president.
"She's going to be your governor someday, I predict." Trump said of Bird.
Trump hit on familiar rhetoric, earning cheers from the crowd when he laid out his plans if he were to be reelected: including an intent to "drill baby, drill" and "seal up the border".
Trump's speedy — and decisive — projected win was the likely situation in Iowa, where he polled nearly 30 percentage points higher than Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis earlier this week.
Supporters speak out at watch parties across Iowa
Though Trump's projected win came within an hour of the caucus beginning, it's far from over: multiple candidates are still vying to be runner up, and their supporters are still standing strong.
"I was just converted this week by my wife, so. I love her answers. I think she's a moderate than can bring over a lot of independents. That's going to be important next election," a Haley supporter told Local 5. "I'd like to see the gap closed with Trump quite a bit, but other than that I think it'll all work out the way it does."
A Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis fan traveled all the way from the Sunshine State to observe the Iowa caucus, despite extreme cold.
"I was at Studebaker Elementary School, I came up from Naples, Fla., to support Gov. DeSantis and to tell people what I thought about him ... It was a very cool experience, and it was great to see, like, people came in but some people's minds were changed. There was dialogue. And it was very cool. I felt like you really just see democracy working," he said.
AP projects Donald Trump as 2024 Iowa Republican caucus winner
Donald Trump has won Iowa’s leadoff presidential caucuses, as of 7:36 p.m.
The former president’s victory on Monday night gives him a strong start in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination as the contest moves to New Hampshire.
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis are Trump’s most prominent primary rivals. They are aiming for a second-place finish in Iowa that would give them at least some momentum heading into future races.
In response to the projected win, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart and presidential candidate Ron DeSantis shared statements admonishing Trump as a projected winner.
"It is absolutely outrageous that the media would participate in election interference by calling the race before tens of thousands of Iowans even had a chance to vote. The media is in the tank for Trump and this is the most egregious example yet," said Andrew Romeo, communications director for DeSantis' campaign.
Most media outlets, including FOX News, have also called the race for Trump.
Hart touched on Trump's policies and warned against the conservative rhetoric he pushes.
Her statement reads in part:
"Tonight’s results put the stakes of this election on full display – not just for Iowans, but for the entire nation. Donald Trump and the entire Republican field spent every minute leading up to the caucus twisting themselves in knots to stake out the most extreme positions this country has ever seen. Trump showed us exactly what he would do to America if he gets the chance: ban abortion nationwide, cut Social Security and Medicare, make our communities less safe, and give handouts to the wealthy while raising costs on middle-class families. As he keeps campaigning, we know this MAGA wishlist will only grow more dangerous."
Trump addresses caucus site shortly before AP calls Iowa for him
Shortly before the AP called Trump the winner in Iowa, the former president spoke at a caucus site in Des Moines.
Trump was greeted with loud cheers and applause as he addressed the crowd.
“I would appreciate your vote. I think I deserve it,” he said, making the case that things were much better when he was in charge. “We were a great nation three years ago and today people are laughing at us,” he said.
Trump and Hutchinson woo voters at the same caucus site
There are hundreds of caucus sites in Iowa. But Trump, the presumed front-runner, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is barely registering in the polls, both ended up at the same caucus site.
“We’re trusting you, Iowa, to get it right,” Hutchinson said, addressing several hundred voters at the Horizon Events Center in Clive.
Trump was holding backstage as Hutchinson spoke.
Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart thanks caucusgoers
As the Republican caucus results begin to roll in, IDP Chair Rita Hart shared a statement urging Democrats to request their presidential preference cards.
The Democrat's official totals won't come out until March, with Monday, Jan. 15 spent solely on completing party business.
“Iowa Democrats have shown that even in the face of sub-zero temperatures, they are committed to building a strong Party. Thank you to everyone who braved the cold to caucus today. The future of our Party and our democracy depends on people like you," Hart said.
This year, the presidential nominating part of the caucuses will be done via a mail-in presidential preference card. Registered Democrats in Iowa have until Feb. 19, 2024 to request a ballot.
Ramaswamy is hustling for support at a caucus site
Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is working until the last minute to round up votes.
He stopped by a caucus site in suburban Des Moines, telling voters, “I’d love to earn your support tonight.”
He fielded questions and compliments from a steady stream of voters lining up to speak with him or snap a selfie.
“I’m Jamie, and I just want to say congrats on a wonderfully run campaign,” one voter told him.
To another voter who sounded a little skeptical of him, Ramaswamy said, “We need someone with fresh legs” and said he’d fire most of the federal workforce.
“My parents came to this country the right way, too,” he told one person. “That’s what makes this country great.”
How Iowa Republican caucusgoers see Haley and DeSantis
Among Iowa Republicans, Haley is something of an anti-Trump option, even though she was his U.N. ambassador.
She is the top candidate of GOP caucusgoers who say Trump did something illegal when it comes to at least one of the criminal cases against him, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 1,500 voters who said they planned to take part in Monday’s Republican caucuses in Iowa.
Among those who say they are caucusing for Haley, about 4 in 10 voted for Democrat Joe Biden over Trump in 2020.
Meanwhile, DeSantis performs best among the caucusgoers who are dissatisfied with Trump but say they would ultimately vote for him in the general election, according to AP VoteCast. DeSantis’ supporters are more likely than those for other candidates to say they think abortion should always be illegal.
He performs better than Haley does among those who describe themselves as conservative.
Most Iowa GOP caucusgoers back Trump's MAGA movement
The majority of Iowa Republican caucusgoers believe in the need to “Make America Great Again,” a sign of how Trump and his political movement have transformed a state party that denied him a victory eight years ago.
That's according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 1,500 voters who said they planned to take part in Monday’s Republican caucuses in Iowa. The survey was conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The findings suggest that Trump is in a strong position as the caucuses began. He shows significant strength among urban, small town and rural communities. Trump also performs well with evangelical Christians and those without a college degree. One relative weakness for Trump comes in the suburbs, where only about 4 in 10 support him.
Coldest Iowa caucuses on record are now underway
Iowa Republicans have gathered at caucus meetings across the state to pick their next GOP presidential nominee.
The coldest first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses on record kicked off Monday night at minus-3 degrees Fahrenheit in the capital city, with the wind chill making it feel like minus-20, according to the National Weather Service.
In the 2016 GOP caucuses, the AP first reported results at 8:32 p.m. ET, or 32 minutes after the caucuses convened. The caucus night tabulation ended at 12:50 a.m. ET with 99.9% of total votes counted.
Explaining the delegate process
Forty delegates are up for grabs on Monday night for Republican candidates, with them being disbursed proportionately to whoever receives votes.
Those delegates are "bound" to support the candidate on the first ballot at the Republican National Convention, even if they have dropped out, Republican Party of Iowa Communications Director Sean Desait told Local 5.
"If only one candidate is up at the convention, all delegates [are] bound to support that candidate," he added.
Zombie Burger in Des Moines unveils caucus-themed items
Zombie Burger in Des Moines rolled out a special menu in time for Iowa's first-in-the-nation voting contest.
The quirky restaurant posted on its Instagram page that customers can “celebrate the circus with these featured shakes + ONE-DAY-ONLY burgers at Zombie Burger!”
The special on Jan. 12 was Mom-Aswamy's Spaghetti burger, a smashed vegetarian meatball patty, fried spaghetti and marinara croquette with mozzarella in honor of Vivek Ramaswamy.
On Jan. 13, diners could nosh on Meatball Ron, a double smashed meatball patty with mozzarella, fried banana peppers, marinara and a “hidden” garlic bread lift — inspired by DeSantis.
The meal of the day for Jan. 14 was American History 101, featuring a double pimento cheese patty, pulled pork, pulled bacon, fried okra and Carolina Gold sauce. The Carolina Gold sauce was a giveaway for Haley.
And on caucus night itself, customers could dig into a Day One Dic-Tater, with Flamin' Hot Cheeto orange kielbasa sausage, Jack cheese, tater rounds, housemade sauerkraut and Russian dressing. Trump recently vowed to only be a dictator on “day one” of his next term.
And throughout, diners had the choice of two special drinks: a Sleepy Joe shake or a Dark Brandon shake, both available with an alcohol option.
Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann speaks about turnout, transparency
Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann stepped on stage at the Iowa Events Center just after 5 p.m. Monday, hitting on the transparency of the Iowa caucuses and whether bitter cold will keep potential voters away.
Kaufmann said he was optimistic about turnout, as Iowans deal with extreme winter weather frequently and care about their first-in-the-nation event.
"I'm excited about tonight. I think you're going to see Iowans step forward. We've got some cold temperatures, but this will not be the first subzero evening we have in the state of Iowa. We are very, very used to this kind of thing," Kaufmann said.
Kaufmann also said there have been no closures at polling precincts due to weather so far.
Trump campaign surrogates make final Iowa stops
Eric Trump predicts 'great night' for his father
The former president's son is calling it now: It will be a “great night” for Team Trump.
He told The Associated Press hours before Iowa's kickoff caucuses: "Everywhere I show up, there’s hundreds and hundreds of people, and they’re all wearing the Make America Great Again hats and carrying American flags.”
He says, “I think we’re going to have a great night."
He says that he's seen tremendous enthusiasm across the state for his father and that Republican voters are eager for a return to Trump's policies.
42-year-old Iowan plans to caucus for the first time
Melanie Klaassen, 42, plans to participate in her first caucuses on Monday night.
She and her husband, Michael, were among an engaged crowd of Trump supporters at ShinyTop Brewing who gathered to see surrogates of the former president.
The farmers from Pomeroy supported Trump in 2016 but went to their first rally in 2020 out of “curiosity,” she said. They found camaraderie there with people from “all walks of life,” Melanie said, who had been stereotyped as “bad, backwards people.”
“We’ve always voted, but we didn’t care either way how it turned out,” she said. That’s changed since Trump. “It feels like our voices really matter more," she said.
Dozens of Trump supporters gathered to get up close and personal with some of the former president’s best-known endorsers, including Reps. Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, as well as U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake of Arizona.
“I want to tell you how much the world is counting on Iowa tonight,” Lake told the crowd. She added: “What you’re going to do tonight is you’re going to help save this world."
Nikki Haley looks to make impactful final impressions
Newton
Haley is making her case to some last-minute undecided caucusgoers — and winning over at least one.
During her third stop of a final pre-caucus push in PB’s Pub, Haley asked for a showing of hands from those who hadn’t yet made up their minds.
“We’ve got one guy,” she said, seeing Chris Varney raise his hand in the back.
After giving brief remarks and telling Iowans that “It’s go time," Varney got a chance to speak with Haley.
“OK, she got me,” Varney said, prompting cheers from other attendees.
Pella
Some voters are still waiting to get the right impression from candidates just hours before the caucuses.
Darla De Haan said Monday as she ate lunch at The Bread Board that she had Nikki Haley at the top of her list but wanted to hear from the candidate in person. Haley was set to appear later Monday afternoon at the Pella restaurant.
De Haan, a psychotherapist, said that she had not caucused in years but was looking forward to participating this time.
“For me, it’s really about character,” De Haan said. “I want to see people who have integrity, who keep their word. … I kind of get a sense when you’re around someone, if they’re going to do what they say.”
De Haan said she had not seen other 2024 candidates as they have campaigned through Iowa over the past year but was interested to hear what Haley had to say during her round of closing arguments to the state’s caucusgoers.
Des Moines
Dozens of people packed into a diner near Drake University as they waited for Haley.
“It’s caucus day. Get excited!” Haley said to a crowd of several dozen, many of whom drank coffee from cups festooned with “Pick Nikki” stickers.
Speaking directly to those serving as caucus captains, Haley asked them to “speak from the heart” in their Monday night speeches.
The GOP candidate plans to make several stops in central Iowa ahead of Monday night’s votes, including making an appearance at a caucus location before heading to her campaign celebration.
Ron DeSantis confident in Iowa chances
Waiting for DeSantis but leaning toward other candidates
A few hours before the caucuses, Iowa Republican Steve Kessler sat in a sports bar awaiting an appearance by DeSantis, but he was still undecided about whom he would support.
“I like to take my time,” the 65-year-old retired electrical engineer said at Jerseys Pub & Grub.
But it wasn’t looking good for DeSantis.
“My heart is with Vivek because of his rambunctiousness," Kessler said. "But I’m tempted to vote for Nikki to show my anti-Trump feelings.”
Why not DeSantis? “He’s not that charismatic,” he said. “But I figured I should see him before I go to caucus.”
Kessler was headed straight from the DeSantis event to his caucus site in Coralville, about 30 miles south of Cedar Rapids.
DeSantis lauds Iowa campaign staff
"They have a huge number of people that they're going to be able to turn out tonight," DeSantis told CNN's Dana Bash from his Iowa campaign headquarters. "People are giving speeches at these things, and I think that some people have underestimated to the extent where there's some fluidity to this."
"Give them a reason to support me, and that can be the difference."
Donald Trump still seen as the favorite
Trump is stepping up his attacks against his rivals on the morning of Iowa’s kickoff caucuses.
On his Truth Social site, Trump is knocking Haley, his former U.N. ambassador, as “an unwanted Globalist” and calling her “weak on the Border."
Trump is also going after Vivek Ramaswamy, the tech entrepreneur who has run as a steward of his Make America Great Again movement.
“A vote for Vivek is a wasted vote,” Trump wrote in all caps. “I like Vivek, but he played it too ‘cute’ with us. Caucus tonight, vote for Donald J. Trump, build up the numbers!!!”
Trump spent much of the race praising Ramaswamy for saying nice things about him. But Trump turned on him this week after Ramaswamy posted a photo of himself posing with supporters wearing “Save Trump, vote Vivek” T-shirts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
