Iowa was the first state to caucus in the Republican primary Jan. 5. This traditional caucus system has a section designated to each candidate, with voters standing in their respective sections as representatives — giving speeches to convince others to join their candidate. Donald Trump won Iowa’s caucus with 51% of the votes and 20 delegates, followed by Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy, receiving nine, eight and three delegates, respectively. Trump won every county in Iowa except for Johnson County, where he lost to Haley by a single vote. Following their Iowa caucus performances, DeSantis and Ramaswamy both ended their presidential bids.
While the Republicans continue with Iowa being the first state to caucus — which has been the case for the past thirteen elections — the Iowa Democratic Caucus changed dramatically after the 2020 election. Iowa’s caucus date was moved to March 5, making Iowa no longer the first state in the Democratic Caucus. Also known as Super Tuesday, March 5 will feature a dozen other state’s Democratic and Republican primaries and caucuses. Democrats now send in their preferred candidate via mail instead of an in-person caucus. Democrats will have to be registered by Feb. 19 and request a Presidential Preference Card to vote in their primary.
The presidential election will take place Nov. 5, with electors casting their votes Dec. 17. The elected president will be sworn into office Jan. 20, 2025.
Candidates:
Donald Trump is a Republican who first made a name for himself as a New York realtor in the 1980s. He served as president of the U.S. from 2016-2020, a presidency that was marked by two impeachments. Trump currently has 91 felony counts in four criminal cases yet remains the front-runner for the Republican party. His campaign focuses on limiting immigration and cutting taxes.
Nikki Haley is a Republican who first served as a representative and governor of South Carolina. She later became the U.S. ambassador for the United Nations under the Trump Administration. Her campaign emphasizes her foreign policy expertise and hard stances against gun reform and illegal immigration.
Joe Biden is the incumbent Democratic presidential candidate. He was elected to the Senate from 1973-2009 and served as the vice president under President Barack Obama. Biden is currently the top candidate for the Democrats. He campaigns on tackling climate change, forgiving student loans and expanding healthcare availability.
Dean Phillips has been serving in the House of Representatives as a Minnesotan Democrat since 2018. He first rose to prominence by being an entrepreneur, owning three different businesses. Phillips’ campaign platform includes universal health care, increased border security and an easier path to citizenship for immigrants.
