ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — Some of the most contested real estate for Iowa's Republican caucuses is a vast, wind-swept plain where hogs outnumber people by the millions.
Ron DeSantis have invested in appealing to politically influential evangelicals, making the fight for northwest Iowa a microcosm of the race to win Monday's caucuses.
DeSantis has spent long hours courting voters here, stopping Thursday in Rock Rapids, population 2,600, before heading to Le Mars, about four times larger.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, with his social conservative brand, competed strongly for northwest Iowa in 2016 and edged Trump in the region on his way to a narrow caucus victory.
Ambassador Nikki Haley, aiming for a surprise second-place finish in Iowa, has campaigned in northwest Iowa, but less often and to smaller audiences.
Persons:
Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, that's, he’s, ”, John Vermeer, “, ” Vermeer, Trump, Texas Sen, Ted Cruz, Pennsylvania Sen, Rick Santorum, Mike Huckabee’s, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Randy Vande Berg, Roe, Wade, He's, Vande Berg, Republican underperformance, “ It's, There's, Heidi Kock
Organizations:
ROCK, Republican, telltale, Florida Gov, Trump, Reformed Church, Texas, Arkansas Gov, Sioux Center, U.N, Biotech, U.S, Supreme
Locations:
ROCK RAPIDS, Iowa, Rock Rapids, Le, Netherlands, Florida, Pennsylvania, Iowa's, Sioux, Sioux County, Monday's