Bad weather in Iowa dampens tradition of primary elections

2024-01-15 19:40:10, Kosova & Bota CNA

Republican voters in the state of Iowa gather this evening to determine the delegates they will send to their party's national convention, as part of the nomination of the candidate for the presidential election.

But, as Voice of America correspondent Arash Arabasadi reports, the cold weather that Iowa is facing has faded the tradition of primary elections.

On the eve of primary voting, in the framework of the 2024 presidential elections, a part of the state of Iowa has been covered by snow.

Freezing, strong winds and continuous snowfall can affect voter turnout in the voting process that determines which candidate will enjoy the broadest support and secure the party's nomination to run for President of the United States. Bahskuara

The presidential nomination process has started in Iowa since 1972.

Some meteorologists say that strong winds can make temperatures feel as extreme as minus 43 degrees Celsius, temperatures that could endanger the lives of voters who want to participate in the voting process.

The weather conditions have prompted calls to hold the election event scheduled for this Monday on another date.

"It will be difficult to travel. So it will be better if the event is cancelled. Not so much because maybe the candidate won't be able to make it, but because people shouldn't be putting themselves at risk, driving on slippery and snowy roads," says Tim Hagle from the University of Iowa.

The bad weather threatens millions of people in the United States and has even caused the postponement of a National Football League game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Buffalo Bills. The host team, the Bills, posted footage of the field on social media.

Meanwhile, the campaign team of the Republican front-runner, former President Donald Trump, canceled all but one in-person rally. Instead, smaller meetings will be held where voters can participate by phone or video, according to the ABC television network.

According to the "Des Moines Register" newspaper, in the state of Iowa, Mr. Trump has a lead of 48 percent of support among other Republican candidates in the race of this primary election, therefore, the chances are that the bad weather will not affect him that.

A completely different situation for Mr. Trump's main competitor, the former governor of South Carolina, Nikkie Helley, who, during Mr. Trump's presidency, held the position of ambassador to the United Nations.

According to polls, Mrs. Haley currently enjoys 20 percent support, four points more than in December, reports the newspaper "The Des Moines Register".

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, once seen as the frontrunner to secure the party's nomination, continues to slide in the polls. According to the newspaper, polls show that he currently has 16 percent support.

No other Republican candidate enjoys double-digit support. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy has again reached nearly 8 percent of support, The Des Moines Register reports.

Monday is a holiday in the United States to mark the birthday of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. Some Iowans say they're glad they'll be able to enjoy a long weekend, with or without politics.

"There's not much to do especially in the winter, but you can have fun on your own, like with this slide. It's a great time," says Des Moines resident Grant Rampton.

The head of the Republican Party of the state of Iowa, told the British newspaper "Daily Mail" that only a "massive national disaster" would force the postponement of preliminary voting./ VOA