COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Western Iowa expected voter turnout might be suppressed by a looming winter storm, but got a deluge of Republican caucus-goers instead. The 11 GOP precincts housed in Thomas Jefferson High School were teeming with registered Republicans who stood in line to vote well after the caucus’ intended start time.
Bill Reilly, who oversaw Council Bluffs precinct two, estimated that just 20 percent of those in attendance had voted in the caucus four years ago, but he did not have an official tally of how many people had voted. In order to get voters to the correct precinct locations, Republican Party officials began using Donald Trump’s website to help people locate their correct polling location because it worked faster than the state GOP’s website.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz won Iowa, but Trump’s supporters did turn out in force in the state’s rural west. Trump narrowly edged Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in Council Bluffs’ second precinct and dominated its larger first precinct, which was won by former Congressman Ron Paul four years ago. Trump earned 44 votes in the first precinct in 2016, while Paul won in 2012 with eight votes total. “My grandfather immigrated from Mexico many years ago, and I support Donald Trump,” said James Gonzalez, a Trump representative. “I think his immigration policy makes perfect sense … I think we’re tired when we hear all of the media and stuff try to say like, ‘Oh because you’re Hispanic, you need to think this way, you have to vote this way, you have to vote that way.’ I can think for myself and I have chosen Donald Trump.”
The first and second precincts finished counting their ballots well after other sites had reported their results because they were overwhelmed by the unexpected crowds. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio finished third and fourth in Council Bluffs’ first and second precincts, respectively, but his supporters still seemed pleased. California Congressman Doug LaMalfa, a Rubio representative who went classroom-to-classroom selling Rubio, told the Washington Examiner that he believes the momentum Rubio could gain by exceeding expectations will be something to watch.
“The conventional wisdom is going to be Trump and Cruz at the top with Marco third, but I don’t think him finishing second is a long shot, I think there’s a pretty good chance,” LaMalfa said with a grin after comparing notes over the phone with California Rep. Darrell Issa, a fellow Rubio supporter. “If he eeks out a second place here it won’t be a complete surprise. And if he does, he’ll be a monster.”
The caucus at Council Bluffs precincts one and two was mostly chaotic, with the crowd booing at the sight of local elected leaders, and caucus-goers standing up to give their own speeches and hijack the meeting’s regular order.
“You vote for whoever you want,” said Daniel Hawkins, who identified himself as a veteran, during an impromptu speech in the middle of the caucus. “I wish I could just take all 16, 18, 20 candidates that we have all plugged into one — it would make one hell of a good Republican.”
Hawkins received the loudest applause of the evening.
