Haley: Iowa Sets ‘the Tone for the Rest of the Country’
Ms. Haley remarked toward the conclusion at her final event ahead of the Jan. 15 Iowa Caucus that the Hawkeye State sets “the tone for the rest of the country”—an apparent attempt to clean up a recent controversial statement.Her message to Iowans came weeks after she said that New Hampshire, which has the first-in-the-nation primary, “correct[s]” the result of the Iowa Caucus by picking another candidate as the winner of the primary.
“We have an opportunity to get this right. And I know we’ll get it right, and I trust you. I trust every single one of you. You know how to do this. You know Iowa starts it. You know that you correct it,” she said at a town hall in New Hampshire earlier this month.
Trump Telerally Not Open to Media
The Trump campaign has told The Epoch Times that a scheduled “telerally” with Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican state lawmaker from Iowa, is a “closed” event and not accessible to media.The rally, scheduled for 5 p.m. CT, followed a Trump rally in Indianola earlier in the day.
—Nathan WorcesterHaley Gives Shoutout For Perry High School Principal
ADEL, Iowa—During her final event ahead of the Jan. 15 Iowa Caucus, Nikki Haley gave a shoutout for Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger, who died on Jan. 14. after being wounded while protecting children during the Jan. 4 shooting at his school. Perry High is about half an hour from Adel. Four students and three adults died in the attack, including the gunman.Ms. Haley noted the 2016 shooting at Townsville Elementary in South Carolina—during her governorship of the Palmetto State. She recalled the death of a student, Jacob Hall, who succumbed to his injuries a couple of days later.
Ms. Haley reiterated the need to deal with the mental health crisis in the United States.
“Let’s always remember to thank them and God, bless him, and … you got to finally acknowledge once and for all the cancer that is mental health,” she said in Adel, lauding law enforcement.
Trump Now Has the Support of a Majority of Congressional Republicans
President Donald Trump hit a major milestone just a day ahead of the Iowa caucuses, winning the support of more than half of all Congressional Republicans in his bid to reclaim the White House.Specifically, President Trump now has the backing of 111 out of 220 Republicans in the House and 24 out of 49 Republicans in the Senate.
President Trump achieved the milestone after he won the backing of Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.).
Ms. Letlow announced her endorsement in a statement to Politico, saying: “From the very beginning, President Trump has been both a supporter and a friend.
“Most recently, President Trump called me asking for my endorsement, and it’s a privilege to support him.”
Other candidates for the White House have fallen far short of President Trump in Congressional support.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, by contrast, has won the backing of five Republicans in the House and none in the Senate.
Former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley has won only a single endorsement in the House, that of fellow South Carolinian Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.).
The milestone comes as President Trump continues to dominate the polls with only 24 hours until the Iowa caucuses.
Ms. Haley has the next most support, with 18.2 percent backing her bid for the White House. Still, despite a recent surge in her polling numbers, Ms. Haley remains far short of overtaking President Trump.
Mr. DeSantis, initially the favorite for the runner-up spot, currently sits at 15.6 percent support. Despite an arduous campaign circuit through each of Iowa’s 99 counties, Mr. DeSantis’s campaign has continued to lag since its early successes.
Iowans Will Face Arctic Temperatures on Caucus Night
The Hawkeye State will face subzero temperatures as it holds the Republican Party of Iowa’s Caucus on Jan. 15.How Cold?
The latest National Weather Service (NWS) forecast for Des Moines, Iowa, published Sunday afternoon, predicts a daytime high of -1 degrees Fahrenheit with winds of 8 to 14 miles per hour, which will drop the so-called wind chill to -30 degrees F. Overnight, the temperature will drop to -10 degrees F with similar wind chills.Similar conditions are expected across the state on Monday. When windchill temperatures are that low, according to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, parents are advised to keep their children indoors to avoid the rapid onset of frostbite.
The NWS’s Des Moines, Iowa, office said in its latest area forecast discussion report, published on Jan. 14, that the forecast period is a “tale of good news and bad news.”
“Good news: The wind has diminished some and the significant blowing and drifting has ended,” the report said. “Bad news: An Arctic airmass is in place and early afternoon temperatures across Iowa range from 5 below to 15 below zero with wind chills are 25 to 40 below.”
The NWS said that Iowa is caught in a deep snowpack from the multiple blizzards that hit last week, which is acting as a “local refrigerant.”
According to the NWS’s historic data, the average low for Jan. 15 is 13 degrees F. The record low, recorded in 1888, was -27 degrees F. Monday night’s Iowa Caucuses will be toasty by comparison.
Will it Affect Turnout?
Some Iowans who spoke with The Epoch Times scoffed at the notion of missing the Caucus due to the weather, while others acknowledged the possibility of sunshine patriots staying near the stove Monday night. In a key poll published by the Des Moines Register on Jan. 13, respected pollster J. Ann Selzer wondered if the candidates with more enthusiasm will benefit from the Arctic conditions, while those with less passionate support will suffer. She marked Ms. Haley as the most likely to see voters stay home on Monday night, in her view.In an email sent by her principal campaign committee on Sunday afternoon, Ms. Haley said, “I want to stress how important it is that you show up tomorrow night and make your voice heard.”
“I know its cold out there. I know the weather has been rough. But tomorrow, you have a chance to make history,” the message said. “Tomorrow night is too important for you to stay home.”
On Jan. 12, Mr. DeSantis told his volunteers in Urbandale, Iowa, that the impact of the weather on the caucus is simply a “major wildcard.”
“What it does for the overall turnout, I mean, nobody can forecast what the turnout is going to be,” Mr. DeSantis said.
DeSantis Woos Undecideds in Cedar Rapids
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa—Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis rallied about 100 at the Chrome Horse Saloon, urging them to get out to caucus tomorrow night.“You have it within your power to put this country on a new trajectory,” he said, contrasting himself to President Trump, whom Mr. DeSantis said is “concerned about his issues, not yours.”
“You can depend on me,” Mr. DeSantis added.
Several attendees told The Epoch Times that they were undecided and leaning toward President Trump. Diane Pershing of Cedar Rapids said she had previously been a Trump supporter “and still might be. I’m here to listen to [DeSantis] and to make my mind up. I’m having a hard time going between Trump and DeSantis.”
Others were firmly in support of Mr. DeSantis, citing his record of achievements as Florida’s governor, especially his response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve got great support,” Mr. DeSantis said. “A lot of people haven’t made a final decision,” he added. “This is an exciting 36 hours ahead of us, and we want your support.”
After the event, Ms. Pershing was no longer undecided. “My mind is made up,” she said, “I’m going to caucus for DeSantis.”
Ernst Says Haley Has ‘Intestinal Fortitude’
AMES, Iowa—Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) introduced Ms. Haley at a packed BBQ restaurant in Ames saying the former U.N. ambassador has got “real intestinal fortitude.”Ms. Ernst, who hasn’t officially endorsed Ms. Haley but has appeared at her campaign events in Iowa, said Ms. Haley “really showed her strength as a governor.
“And it was because of that strength, that President Donald Trump decided to appoint Nikki Haley as our ambassador to the United Nations, where she went on to stare down dictators and authoritarians from all around the globe,” Ms. Ernst said.
In an NBC interview earlier in the day, the senator declined to endorse anyone ahead of the caucuses.
She called Ms. Haley a “great candidate” but said she wouldn’t rule out backing President Trump if he wins the state.
Sen. Marco Rubio Endorses Trump
One-time rival for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is backing President Donald Trump in the 2024 race.“When [President] Trump was in [the White House], I achieved major policies I had worked on for years … because we had a president who didn’t cave to special interests or let bureaucrats block us,” Mr. Rubio’s post said. “That kind of leadership is the only way we will get the extraordinary actions needed to fix the disaster [President Joe Biden] has created.”
Mr. Rubio ran against President Trump for the GOP’s 2016 nomination. He finished third, behind Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and President Trump, in Iowa. He suspended his campaign in March 2016 and eventually endorsed President Trump in July 2016.
When he was campaigning against him, Mr. Rubio called President Trump a “con artist” and described him as “wholly unprepared to be president.”
Mr. Rubio is currently vice chair of the Senate’s Select Committee on Intelligence.
Nikki Haley: ‘I’m Not Going to Worry’ About Polls
Nikki Haley is firmly in second place behind President Donald Trump in Iowa, according to one of the most influential polls in the state.However, the narrative quickly arose that finishing any less than second in the Republican Party’s Jan. 15 caucus in Iowa will throw a bucket of ice water on the campaign.
On Jan. 14, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations was interviewed on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream.
She got hit with two questions about the Jan. 13 poll conducted by Selzer & Co. and published by the Des Moines Register.
First, she was asked if the new, higher expectations meant finishing third will be interpreted as a loss in Iowa.
“The real poll, you know, is on caucus day,” Ms. Haley said in response. “What we’ve said is we just want to come out of Iowa looking strong. We want to come out of New Hampshire strong. We want to come out of South Carolina strong.
“This is continuing state by state and trying to get every single vote that we can and we’re not going to stop until that very last second.”
Next, the former South Carolina governor was asked about the level of enthusiasm of her supporters. The poll said Ms. Haley’s supporters are less enthusiastic than those of President Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.
“I’m not a political pollster, I’m not going to worry about the numbers. What I am going to say is the momentum and the energy on the ground is strong. We feel it,” Ms. Haley said.
“We know that this is moving in the right direction and to me, the only numbers that matter are the ones that we’re going up and everybody else went down. That shows that we’re doing the right thing.
“We’re just excited that tomorrow’s the day. It’s go time and we’re going to keep crisscrossing the state. We’ve done that for days now. We’re going to keep doing it and I think the intensity will show tomorrow.”
Ramaswamy Doesn’t Respond to Trump Jab—But King Does
AMES, IOWA—Underdog GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy did not respond on Sunday to former President Donald Trump’s claim that he is a “fraud” in a salvo of criticism the Republican frontrunner aimed at the upstart bio-tech entrepreneur late last week, urging Iowans not to vote for him when they caucus on Monday.But former Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) did respond while introducing Mr. Ramaswamy to about 200 people crammed into Sweet Caroline’s restaurant and sports bar in downtown Ames.
While Mr. Trump has heaped plenty of abuse on other rivals for the 2024 GOP nod, he had refrained from attacking Mr. Ramaswamy, who praises the former president in his campaign stumps.
“For the first time Trump took a shot” at Mr. Ramaswamy, Mr. King said. “And now we know why—two hours later, Bruce Ratsetter endorsed Trump.”
Mr. Ratsetter is a cofounder of Summit Pipelines Solutions, which seeks to “sequester” carbon emissions from more than 30 ethanol plants and funnel them into a 2,000-mile network of pipelines that ends in a 135,000-acre “pore space” cavity in Oliver County, population 1,877, north of Bismarck, North Dakota.
Landowners along the proposed pipeline face eminent domain proceedings if they do not consent, arousing anger across Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
Mr. King said Mr. Trump has not addressed Iowans’ concerns and has been endorsed by “the George Soros of the Midwest,” calling Mr. Ratsetter a “puppet master” who has influenced the politics of five states.
In his 40-minute stump stop, Mr. Ramaswamy checked all the boxes of his standard campaign speeches, including reiterating that he is the only Republican presidential candidate who opposes the pipeline.
The only other hopeful to address the issue is independent Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
He said he will always respect and honor Mr. Trump for “starting this fight” but that is time for new ideas, new blood, to move it forward.
“Make America Great doesn’t belong to President Trump. It belongs to all of us,” Mr. Ramaswamy said. “This is our 1776 moment.”
When elected, he said: “Day One, mass firings of 75 percent of all federal bureaucrats,” including 20,000 or 35,000 FBI employees who are “back room bureaucrats” with the remainder transferred to the U.S. Marshal Service and DEA.
“The people we elect to run our government should be the ones who run the government” rather than it being “run by a shadow government of bureaucrats,” Mr. Ramaswamy said.
He said he would demand term limits for lawmakers and also on federal bureaucrats. Neither could serve more than eight years.
Mr. Ramaswamy said he would decree that elections—which are run by states—would-be conducted in a single-day. He’d “make election day a national holiday” with paper ballots only in English.
He would do away with the Department of Education and galvanize the nation’s schools. ‘Children are taught to celebrate diversity and differences so much that we forget that we are all really the same as Americans bound by a common set of ideals,” he said.
Mr. Ramaswamy said his support in Iowa is drastically underestimated and called on voters to brave subzero temperatures with wind chills of minus-30 degrees to get to the caucuses and cast their ballots.
“George Washington didn’t complain about the weather when he crossed the Delaware,” he said.
Burgum Backs Trump
INDIANOLA, Iowa—North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum made an appearance at former President Donald Trump’s Indianola rally on Sunday to make a surprise endorsement.“Four years ago, I was speaking on behalf of President Trump at the Iowa caucuses in Sioux City,” the Republican noted. “And today, I’m here to do something that none of the other presidential primary candidates have done, and that’s endorse Donald J. Trump for the President of the United States of America.”
In welcoming Mr. Burgum to the stage, President Trump said he had been “very impressed” by the governor’s performance in the Republican primary debates.
“I thought he was just outstanding. And he’s got an incredible record,” he said, touting Mr. Burgum’s skills as both a businessman and governor.
Joined on stage by his wife, Katheryn, Mr. Burgum said he had witnessed firsthand what President Trump could accomplish, and how “everything changed” when he entered the White House.
“States like Iowa, states like North Dakota—heartland states—we were respected. We had a friend and a partner in the White House who understood us and who wanted to see our state succeed versus being regulated out of business,” the governor said.
“Now, I’ve had a chance as governor to see what the world is like under Joe Biden, and America needs a 180-degree change [from] the direction where Joe Biden has taken us.”
President Biden, he said, is “wrong on the economy, he’s wrong on energy, and he’s wrong on national security.” But Under President Trump, the U.S. was “safe and prosperous.”
“Tomorrow, when you caucus, you have an opportunity to send the message to the nation and send a message to the world that Donald J. Trump will make America great again.”
Ramaswamy Supporters Dine With DeSantis Backers
MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA—One day before the GOP caucus, the Mitchums (Ramaswamy supporters) dine with the Bragas (DeSantis supporters) at the Perkins restaurant and bakery near the interstate.“It might ruin our friendship,” said Kathy Braga. Belly laughs from a bench full of Marshall County Republicans.
“I always have supported the underdog,” Ray Mitchum, a retired biology teacher, told The Epoch Times.
He said he decided Mr. Ramaswamy was sincere after seeing him on multiple occasions: “I’ve met with him now six or seven times.”
Brad Braga, Kathy’s husband, explained that the Florida governor strikes him as the most Reagan-esque candidate in the race.
“He aligns with the values we have here in Iowa,” Mr. Braga said.
Heckler Interrupts Trump: ‘You’re Making Millions!’
INDIANOLA, Iowa—President Donald Trump received an unwelcome surprise while addressing Iowa supporters at his final in-person rally before caucus night.As Trump began to explain why he felt his rivals weren’t “up to the job” of being president, a heckler interrupted.
“Trump, you’re making millions!” the female protester shouted, drawing loud boos and chants of “Trump!” from the rest of the crowd.
“Thank you, darling. Thank you,” President Trump replied. “That’s all right. Go home to mommy—your mommy’s waiting.”
As the shouting continued, the former president noted that such interruptions were once a common occurrence at his events.
“You know, it’s amazing, because that used to happen all of the time, and I don’t think it’s happened in two-and-a-half or three years. And she’s so young … so young and immature.”
After the protester had been removed, the chants switched over to the familiar “USA!” oft-repeated at the former president’s rallies.
“That’s all right,” he reiterated. “That’s why we have America.”
Nikki Haley on VP: ‘I Don’t Play for a Second’
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley is polling second behind former President Donald Trump on the final day before Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucus said she is not interested in being a vice president.“I don’t play for a second,” she said in an interview that aired on CBS News “Face the Nation” on Jan. 14 when asked if she would agree to run for vice president. “I’ve never played for a second. I’m not going to start now.”
“I’m not interested in being vice president. I’m running to be president and I’m running to win and we will.”
‘That’s the President Trump I Know’
INDIANOLA, Iowa—A series of speakers whooped up the crowd about 90 minutes in advance of former President Donald Trump’s scheduled speech start time at noon local time.Nearly all addressed the bitterly cold weather but said the fact that this room was filled was evidence that Iowans are hardy, and they won’t let the weather deter them from heading to the caucuses and voting for President Trump on Monday.
Several of the speakers highlighted personal interactions they’ve had with the former president.
Iowa Sen. Brad Zaun told the crowd that he once asked the former president about his “mean tweets” and combative style that often draw disdain. He recalled President Trump replying: “Brad, do you wake up and have about 1,000 people attacking you every day?”
Mr. Zaun said that illustrated powerfully that: “He’s got to fight.”
Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisc.) shared how after his daughter died from cancer, he received a phone call from an unknown number in Florida. The call came about 90 minutes after his daughter’s funeral, but Mr. Van Orden decided to answer. The caller was President Trump.
He offered his heartfelt condolences and expressed care and concern for the Van Orden family.
“That’s the President Trump that I know. That’s the President Trump that the left does not want you to know,” Mr. Van Orden said. “They want to demonize him ... [but] he will literally give you the shirt off his back. And he loves this country and his family more than you will ever know.”
Considering all of that, and the way President Trump has fought for the American people, Mr. Van Orden said, “I would have taken a dogsled and snowshoes to get here.”
Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) described a phone call he had with President Trump as news was breaking about the FBI raiding President Trump’s home at the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
During that August 2022 phone call, Mr. Jordan said he was aghast over the raid. He decided to call President Trump and vent his disbelief.
Mr. Jordan wondered, “How can this be happening in our country?” He recalls President Trump responding, “Jim, this is the best thing that ever happened to our [Republican] party.”
Mr. Jordan said that shows how selfless President Trump is, and how much he’s willing to sacrifice for the cause.
“He brings that attitude to work every single day for us,” Mr. Jordan said.
A spokesman for the Indianola Fire Department said there were about 550 people in the main room where Trump will speak and about 220 others in an overflow area. He made that estimate before the rally began. By the time it started, 800-900 people were inside.
Three GOP Candidates Lead Biden in One-on-One Poll
Republican caucusgoers in Iowa will have a chance to choose between three candidates who are currently leading President Joe Biden, according to a new poll.Ms. Haley commanded the largest lead over President Biden, 53 percent to 45 percent.
President Trump and Mr. DeSantis earned 50 percent and 51 percent, respectively, with President Biden earning 48 percent against each.
All three of the scenarios are within the margin of error, which was +/- 3.1 percentage points.
DeSantis Waves Off Disappointing Poll Numbers
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis dismissed recent polling indicating that he is trailing both former President Donald Trump and former South Carolina Nikki Haley in Iowa.“We’ve got a huge number of people that have committed to caucus, and we expect that these are the people that turn out, so there’s a lot of excitement on the ground,” Mr. DeSantis said.
“We’re in this for the long haul,” he added.
The candidate also shot down the idea that he might drop out of the race after Monday’s contest.
“In fact, the day after, we’re going to do a town hall on CNN in New Hampshire, also do some events in South Carolina, and we will get to Nevada at some point.”
Former Maryland Governor Endorses Nikki Haley
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley has won another endorsement as she campaigns in Iowa the day before the first-in-the-nation caucus.“I think Nikki Haley has got all the momentum,” he said, emphasizing that this race is all about “trying to nominate the strongest possible nominee for November.”
The Republican’s endorsement came the morning after the Des Moines Register released the latest polls showing Ms. Haley overtaking Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis for second place, well behind former President Donald Trump.
Mr. Hogan believes that President Trump will win the Iowa caucus on Jan. 15. He does not think “it matters that much” because “for the past 24 years, the winner of the Republican caucus in Iowa has not been the nominee.”
Mr. Hogan was Maryland’s governor from January 21, 2015, to January 18, 2023.
The Final Stretch
The Republican candidates vying for the White House have just one full day of stumping left to sway Iowa voters before the “first in the nation” caucus starts on Monday night. Here’s a rundown of where they will be, and when.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is slated to continue his Iowa tour with three meet-and-greet events. First, he’ll meet with supporters at Dubuque’s Stone Cliff Winery at noon local time. He will then travel on to Cedar Rapids for a 2:45 p.m. event at the Chrome Horse Saloon before capping off the day at The District Venue in Ankeny at 7 p.m.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley has three events planned for the day, starting at 10:30 a.m. at the Grand River Center in Dubuque. From there, she’ll head on to Jethro’s BBQ in Ames, where she will address supporters at 3 p.m. before her final 6 p.m. event at the Country Lane Lodge in Adel.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy intends to continue his relentless trek across the state by delivering remarks at events in five different cities. He’ll start off at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in Ankeny at 9:30 a.m. before heading on to his second event at noon at Sweet Caroline’s Kitchen & Cocktails in Ames. Next, he will deliver a 3 p.m. speech at an American Legion Post in Coralville before stopping by the Machine Shed Restaurant in Davenport at 5:30 p.m. He will finish the day with an 8 p.m. speech at the 7 Hills Event Center in Dubuque.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump is set to deliver remarks at a Commit to Caucus Rally at Simpson College in Indianola at noon. He will also participate in an evening tele-rally with Iowa Rep. Bobby Kaufman at 5 p.m.
