The gym bleachers were packed. But the Nevada High School basketball team wasn't playing on the evening of Monday, January 15. Republican supporters braving the polar weather took their places in front of the mayor, who graciously ensured that procedures were followed. There were no protests, and no outbursts from neighbors. The session opened at 7 pm, as it did in hundreds of other caucus locations in Iowa, the first state to vote in the Republican primaries. Barely 40 minutes later, the 58 voters put Donald Trump in the lead, with 25 votes.
The former president enjoyed a triumphant evening, the first step on the still uncertain road to a rematch with Joe Biden. Trump received 51% of the vote while the runner-up, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, exceeded expectations with 21.2%. Nikki Haley finished with 19.1%. Trump made inroads everywhere compared to the 2016 caucus, in rural counties and suburban areas, and among different demographics – including college graduates – although his core target remains low-income households in the countryside. His hold on the Republican base is confirmed, despite his 91 counts of indictment in four cases.
The hubbub of the news seemed more subdued in the high school gymnasium. Nevada is a small town of 7,000 in Story County, about 50 miles north of the capital, Des Moines. Iowa State University is nearby. Life here is rather peaceful and quiet. Before the caucus began, participants discussed the hostile weather, pets, and car problems. Then the speaking competition began.
Before the vote opened, each Republican candidate could be defended for five minutes by a member of the audience. The mayor, Brett Barker, took it upon himself to extol the virtues of Nikki Haley, her "conservative messages" and her unrivaled prospects in the event of a race against Biden. What about Trump? "The media will be focused on his legal troubles," Barker predicted. Kim Stieler, 38, who came with her twin daughters, each absorbed by a tablet, came down from the bleachers to argue in favor of DeSantis, her voice trembling. Stieler works in a local factory as an engineer. "I don't know about you, but me, I'm tired of the chaos, I don't want a repeat of 2020. I want us to move forward and a new generation to rise," she said. Each speaker received a respectful round of applause. But who would speak up for Trump?
Earl Osman, 77, introduced himself to the audience. He came with his wife, Sue, two years older. He was a power station technician and she a teacher, before retiring. Earl Osman didn't read off a script, he improvised. "Trump, we know what kind of president he's going to be. He gets results. He's going to drill, drill, drill because we know that energy is essential to our economy. And then he'll restore our army. We've given all our resources to Ukraine." Sue is quite proud of her husband. We asked her what will happen if Trump is convicted in one of his upcoming trials. She answered on the spot. "So what? He'll be able to get elected and run the country even while in prison. They just want to get him."
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