Icy start to the election year in the USA: The first Republican presidential primary began in arctic temperatures on Monday in the state of Iowa. Republican voters gathered in gyms, firehouses and churches to cast their votes for their party’s presidential nomination. According to polls, former President Donald Trump is the favorite in his party’s vote.
Trump’s strongest competitors are former US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Due to the extreme weather conditions, all three candidates were forced to cancel performances. Some parts of Iowa are currently experiencing historic low temperatures as low as minus 42 degrees Celsius. The Midwestern state was also hit by massive snowfall and severe winter storms. It is unclear how much the freezing weather will affect the outcome of the primary election.
In addition to Trump, five other Republican candidates are standing for the vote of their party members. According to his campaign team, Trump plans to attend several of these meetings during the evening.
Strictly speaking, the primaries in the agricultural state of Iowa have only limited significance; But they are symbolically important and can influence the dynamics of the race. The next primary election will take place on January 23rd in the state of New Hampshire. The winner of the statewide Republican primary will challenge incumbent Joe Biden of the Democratic Party in the November 5 presidential election.
