DES MOINES — Iowans are famous for breaking late and deciding elections as the shot clock is set to expire. That was the case again Monday as many caucus-goers were still undecided mere minutes before they cast their vote.
With more than two handfuls of candidates up for selection at precinct 28R, many left their decision until the last possible minute — from those supporting front-runner Ted Cruz to John Kasich, who registered a single vote compared with Cruz’s 63. Despite Cruz being the overwhelming choice of those in the room, some viewed him negatively.
“I think he’s a televangelist who couldn’t make it in religion,” said Christine Larson, who supported former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush at the last minute over the likes of Dr. Ben Carson and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina. “To me he doesn’t strike me as presidential or authoritative.”
Before the clock struck 7 p.m., Larson was considering voting for one of the top polling candidates. However, when push came to shove, she stuck with Bush over the front-runners, citing her sticking with her beliefs and not “following the sheep.”
Others were coalescing not as much around a candidate, but rather against a candidate.
“We’re ABT — Anybody But Trump,” said Katherine Fetters and Angie Burnham, the latter of whom argued “all you’ve got to do is read his Twitter feed.”
Fetters said she was considering Bush and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has been making a late surge in the state. Ultimately, she stuck with Bush, but intimated that he needs to appear more energetic.
“He needs to stand up straighter more often,” Fetters said.
Burnham, on the other hand, was deciding between two front-runners, Cruz and Rubio, who had been engaged in an extended back-and-forth for Iowa supremacy. Burnham said afterwards she was swayed by the words spoken by the Cruz supporter, citing his Christian background and conservative principles.
Cruz, Rubio, Bush, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee all had speakers talking up their respective candidates — with Trump as the only top candidate without a surrogate to speak for him. The Paul supporter in attendance, Joshua Naponiello, was particularly energetic, telling Democratic caucus-goers in the hallway between the caucus rooms that “it’s not too late to change your mind.”
The most notable voice in the room was Jonathan Barnett, a Huckabee supporter and a GOP national committee member from Arkansas, who reprised his role from 2008 when the former governor won the Hawkeye State.
“You all know Mike very well,” Barnett told caucus-goers. “I would ask that you keep Mike in this race — keep him on the on-ramp. Don’t let the media decide who’s going to make this decision.” Huckabee would suspend his presidential campaign later in the evening.
One other voter told the Washington Examiner that he also came into the night candidate-less, but cast his vote for Kasich, which turned out to be the lone vote of the night for the Ohio governor.
“It was a toss-up between Bush and Kasich,” said Bobby Rogers, 66. “I wanted to vote for experience.”
“Iowa’s just the starting point.”
