The latest news on Republican presidential candidates in the final hours before Iowa Caucus

Republican presidential candidates are still spending Monday attempting to woo caucusgoers in the final hours to caucus night.

Many are making up for missed events over the weekend from snow and cold weather.

Follow along as we bring you live updates. And be sure to check back tonight as results come in after 7 p.m., when caucusing starts.

More: See Iowa Caucus results by precinct

Iowa Republicans: 'might be midnight' before get all results

In the face of extreme winter weather conditions across the state, Iowa GOP Chair Jeff Kaufmann said precinct chairs will be patient as people travel to each caucus location.

“It might be midnight that we have every single piece of data come in,” said Kaufmann, who met with reporters less than an hour before caucus sites were expected to open in Iowa.

“Certainly I would rather get those results later than have anybody hurry up beyond where they feel comfortable,” he added.

Kaufmann said they have asked Iowans to arrive at caucus sites as early as possible. He went on to say that while some sites have had to change locations due to weather and icy roads, they have not had any closures.

“I’m perfectly comfortable with what is going on right now,” Kaufmann said.

— Savannah Kuchar

In last speech, Nikki Haley thanks Iowans for their kindness

"All eyes are on Iowa," Nikki Haley says in a telephone town hall two hours before the Iowa Caucuses. "You have the opportunity to set the tone in this race. It can be more of the same with what we’ve seen with Trump and Biden, or it can move forward with new solutions."

"I want to thank you for your kindness," Nikki Haley said. "I want to thank you for teaching me so much about Iowa. What I have come away from it is you are faithful, hardworking, patriotic people that want to see a country we can all be proud of. And I want to give that to you."

— Stephen Gruber-Miller

Donald Trump stays low-key on Caucus Day

Unless you count social media, Trump spent the daylight hours of Iowa Caucus Day out of the public eye.

Reporters did catch the former president briefly at the Hotel Fort Des Moines, where he predicted that "we're going to have a great night."

The Trump campaign, meanwhile, set up a post-caucus party in a high-ceiled room at the Iowa Events Center.

— David Jackson

Ron DeSantis pitches closing message in eastern Iowa

Ron DeSantis made his way through eastern Iowa to rally undecided voters and supporters ahead of the caucuses.

"If you haven't made a decision, I'm asking for your support," said DeSantis at local Cedar Rapids restaurant, Jersey's Pub and Grub.

DeSantis entered the presidential race with high expectations as a big-state conservative governor who came to national prominence bucking COVID-19 lockdowns and calls for banning race-and-gender-affirming programs. He was endorsed by Governor Kim Reynolds.

"Not a lot of Floridians come up north in January, certainly not at the tail end of a blizzard, but we are going to be out all the way through the end of the caucus tonight," DeSantis said. "We worked all 99 counties over the course of many months. We built a great organization. We got so many great people, great Iowans who are locked and loaded, ready to go for us tonight."

"I'm excited about tonight. Make your voice heard. We have an opportunity to really change the course of this country."

DeSantis packed in three events prior to caucus start time at 7 p.m., including in Sergeant Bluff and Council Bluffs earlier today.

— Jessica Rish

More: Iowa Republicans confident in reporting caucus results. Here's when to expect live results:

Eric Trump predicts ‘great night' for his father Donald Trump

DES MOINES — The former president's son is calling it now: It will be a “great night” for Team Trump.

He told The Associated Press hours before Iowa's kickoff caucuses: "Everywhere I show up, there’s hundreds and hundreds of people, and they’re all wearing the Make America Great Again hats and carrying American flags.”

He says, “I think we’re going to have a great night."

He says that he's seen tremendous enthusiasm across the state for his father and that Republican voters are eager for a return to Trump's policies.

— The Associated Press

Waiting for Ron DeSantis but leaning toward other candidates

CEDAR RAPIDS — A few hours before the caucuses, Iowa Republican Steve Kessler sat in a sports bar awaiting an appearance by DeSantis, but he was still undecided about whom he would support.

“I like to take my time,” the 65-year-old retired electrical engineer said at Jerseys Pub & Grub.

But it wasn’t looking good for DeSantis.

“My heart is with Vivek because of his rambunctiousness," Kessler said. "But I’m tempted to vote for Nikki to show my anti-Trump feelings.”

Why not DeSantis? “He’s not that charismatic,” he said. “But I figured I should see him before I go to caucus.”

Kessler was headed straight from the DeSantis event to his caucus site in Coralville, about 30 miles south of Cedar Rapids.

— The Associated Press

More: Turnout, key counties and evangelicals: What to watch for as GOP Iowa Caucus results come in

Donald Trump surrogates make their case for the former president

Dozens of Trump supporters gathered at ShinyTop Brewing to get up close and personal with some of the former president’s best-known endorsers, including Reps. Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, as well as U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake of Arizona.

“I want to tell you how much the world is counting on Iowa tonight,” Lake told the crowd. She added: “What you’re going to do tonight is you’re going to help save this world."

Melanie Klaassen, 42, plans to participate in her first caucuses on Monday night.

She and her husband, Michael, were among an engaged crowd of Trump supporters at ShinyTop Brewing who gathered to see surrogates of the former president.

The farmers from Pomeroy supported Trump in 2016 but went to their first rally in 2020 out of “curiosity,” she said. They found camaraderie there with people from “all walks of life,” Melanie said, who had been stereotyped as “bad, backwards people.”

“We’ve always voted, but we didn’t care either way how it turned out,” she said. That’s changed since Trump. “It feels like our voices really matter more," she said.

— The Associated Press

Famous T-shirt maker Raygun has Iowa Caucuses merch

Des Moines-based retailer Raygun once again has merchandise related to the Iowa Caucuses ready for shoppers wanting to memorialize the day with a witty T-shirt.

Raygun, a popular stop for Iowa Caucus visitors that has welcomed several Democratic presidential hopefuls during the 2020 presidential cycle to C-SPAN this year, has several new designs available for purchase online and in stores.

That includes the shirt with the phrase, “What the hell is a caucus? And where the hell is Iowa?”

More: Here are 9 Local Legends, Des Moines makers of unique items

Owner Mike Draper told the Des Moines Register on Jan. 11 that was inspired by a quote overheard on a New York subway and emailed to Raygun.

Other designs include shirt “Election 2024: Welp, I guess we’re doing this again" and a button “Iowa Caucuses: They’re Letting Us Do This Again?!”

More merchandise will be dependent on what happens out of the Iowa Caucuses, Draper explained.

In 2020, Raygun produced a shirt faster than the Iowa Democratic Party was able to announce results after widespread reporting problems caused a significant delay.

— Paris Barazza

A look at Republican presidential candidates' paths through Iowa

The candidates have put in a lot of time in Iowa as they make their pitches to caucusgoers. Here's a look at their paths through the Hawkeye State:

More: Trump spurns traditional caucus campaigning as he builds expectations for a big Iowa win

More: Nikki Haley heads into Caucus Day hoping for a two-person race with Donald Trump post-Iowa

More: Ron DeSantis ran an old-school Iowa campaign. Will it pay off against Donald Trump?

More: Vivek Ramaswamy finds supporters in Iowa, but trails in polls in run-up to Iowa Caucuses

More: Republican candidate Ryan Binkley spent lots of time in Iowa but didn't garner support in polls

More: Asa Hutchinson's steady Iowa presence hasn't been enough to compete with front-runners

Woodbury County caucus sites change due to snow

The Woodbury County Democratic Party announced Sunday a change in caucus location for Precincts 23 through 33 due to the impact of the weekend's storms.

Those who were planning to caucus at the Sergeant Bluff High School will have to relocate because snow drifts up to the roof are blocking some exits, the organization said in a Facebook post.

The new location for affected precincts is Sioux City West Middle School, 3301 W. 19th St., Sioux City.

More: Where do I caucus? How to find Republican caucus locations, what to bring to register

In Pella, Nikki Haley amps up the crowd, says: ‘Let’s go caucus!’ 

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley has launched a campaign blitz on Caucus Day, making her final pitch to voters in Des Moines, Pella and Newton.

“We’re excited to be here. I know you’re more excited than I am because this means no more TV commercials. No more mail, all those other things,” Haley joked with a crowd of about 40 attendees at The Bread Board in Pella.

Haley, who donned a pink blazer, delivered the same message as she did earlier Monday at the Drake Diner in Des Moines: “Let’s go caucus!”

For the last 11 months, the former United Nations ambassador and South Carolina governor said she has spent time in Iowa, shaking hands with residents across the state. She prided on building relationships with them and answering their questions. Now, she says, Iowans must make a decision and “set the tone” on where the country should go.

“Every Iowan we’ve met, they get it,” Haley said. “They’ve done their homework, they’ve asked the questions. They’re working it out. And even though it is freezing outside — literally — we haven’t seen anyone that’s deterred from showing up at the caucuses.”

“When I look at what is at stake here and why this matters so much, it goes back to the fact that I have said we can’t continue to be a country in disarray with the world on fire,” she continued. “We can’t do that with four more years of chaos. We can’t defeat Democrat chaos with Republican chaos. And of all things, we cannot afford a President Kamala Harris.”

Haley’s final stop is in Newton, where she is expected to speak to attendees, at PB’s Pub. Her campaign also plans to host a statewide telephone town hall at 5 p.m.

– F. Amanda Tugade

How do I find results on caucus night?

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Florida state employees knock doors in Iowa for boss Ron DeSantis

Wherever Republican presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis finishes in Monday's Iowa Caucuses, you can't say it was for lack of a ground game.

And he had a lot of help from his friends, allies and appointees.

Volunteers for DeSantis headed to Iowa in droves this weekend, to knock on voters' doors and urge them to cast their ballots for the man often referred to as "America's Governor."

Most notable, as multiple social media posts show, was the number of high-ranking elected officials, department heads and other members of his administration who braved sub-zero temperatures to turn out the vote, even causing what appeared to be a momentary political "brain drain" in the Sunshine State.

"The fact that hundreds of state employees in Florida are taking personal leave and paying their own way to (volunteer) for their boss in Iowa ... should tell you all you need to know about the kind of leader @RonDeSantis has been," wrote Kyle Lamb, a research and data specialist for the state's Department of Commerce.

— Tallahassee Democrat staff

More: DeSantis officials, staff depart capital in droves to knock on doors before Iowa Caucuses

Trump starts Caucus Day by trash-talking rivals

Trump is stepping up his attacks against his rivals on the morning of Iowa’s kickoff caucuses.

On his Truth Social site, Trump is knocking Haley, his former U.N. ambassador, as “an unwanted Globalist” and calling her “weak on the Border."

Trump is also going after Vivek Ramaswamy, the tech entrepreneur who has run as a steward of his Make America Great Again movement.

“A vote for Vivek is a wasted vote,” Trump wrote in all caps. “I like Vivek, but he played it too ‘cute’ with us. Caucus tonight, vote for Donald J. Trump, build up the numbers!!!”

Trump spent much of the race praising Ramaswamy for saying nice things about him. But Trump turned on him this week after Ramaswamy posted a photo of himself posing with supporters wearing “Save Trump, vote Vivek” T-shirts.

— The Associated Press

Asa Hutchinson brings breakfast with a side of Iowa Caucus

Asa Hutchinson chatted with early risers at two Des Moines diners Monday, making last-minute pitches on why they should vote for him in the Iowa Caucuses.

"Is the biggest decision you're going to make breakfast or caucus today?" Hutchinson asked a few people seated at a table at Waveland Cafe, a northwest-side favorite.

The former Arkansas governor socialized with reporters and struck up conversations with patrons as their ate their breakfasts, while also handing out candidate cards. After spending about an hour at Waveland Cafe, he moved on the Drake Diner, where many patrons had caught a glimpse of Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley less than an hour before.

Tracy and Sandy Thorpe were seated in a booth at Drake Diner when Hutchinson came by to chat. Tracy Thorpe said he wasn't participating in the caucuses, but said Hutchinson seemed like a "personable" and a "nice fella."

"I'm waiting for the sorting hat" to weed out the candidates, he told the Register.

Diner Jay Windsor, of Illinois, called Hutchinson a "great candidate," adding it was too bad he had "no traction."

Windsor's father James H. Windsor, of Des Moines, said the U.S. is in need of "leadership" as well as "young blood" in the White House. Despite being a registered Democrat, Windsor told the Register he's been impressed by Haley.

— Virginia Barreda

Why each Republican candidate can win the Iowa Caucuses. (And why they can't)

Caucus night is nearly here, and the campaigns are setting expectations for caucus night.

Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis, Vivek Ramaswamy, Asa Hutchinson, Ryan Binkley — each has carved a path to victory in the Iowa Caucuses to collect the state's 40 delegates. But each has their weaknesses.

Here's a rundown on where each candidate stands according to our January Iowa Poll; what their path to success in the Iowa Caucuses looks like; how they could fall short; and a key insight into every one of their campaigns:

More: Who will win the Iowa Caucuses? 6 GOP candidates' path to victory ‒ or defeat ‒ on Jan. 15

— Galen Bacharier

Nikki Haley runs into climate activists as she makes final push on Caucus Day 

Presidential candidate Nikki Haley kicked off Caucus Day at Drake Diner in Des Moines, where she told voters they have a choice to make: Go back to the past or move forward.

“We need to better for our kids,” she said. “We have spent 11 months talking about veterans, saying we’re going to go back and appreciate those who fight for us. We have spent 11 months saying that the lawlessness on the Biden administration on the border and everything else has to stop. We have spent 11 months saying we have to have an accountant in the White House.”

As she left the diner, Sunrise Movement climate activists held yellow banners that read: “HALEY: CLIMATE CRIMINAL.” Activist Paul Campion praised Iowa’s transition to renewable energy, but said Haley “wants to go back to oil, gas and coal that’s killing people? That’s poisoning the air and water?”

Campion later told the Des Moines Register he had one message for Haley: Listen to younger voters.

“I want her to know that Gen Z and millennials are the biggest voting block in this country,” said the 26-year-old Maryland native who traveled to Iowa to join up with Sunrise’s Des Moines chapter. “And if she wants a shot at the presidency, whether in the caucuses and primaries within the Republican Party, she’s going to have to learn to listen to young people.”

– F. Amanda Tugade

More: Here's when the Iowa Caucuses start, how they work, who can participate, where to go

Vivek Ramaswamy makes Caucus Day pitch, say campaigning across Iowa 'humbling'

Vivek Ramaswamy returned Monday to Urbandale, Iowa, eatery Machine Shed Restaurant, where early in his campaign he shared his message with a much smaller crowd. This time he spoke to about 100 attendees, and said he will win tonight when Republican caucusgoers make their choices.

The final Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom Iowa Poll released Saturday indicated that Ramaswamy was the first choice of 8% of likely Republican caucusgoers. Ramaswamy insists he is seeing a groundswell of support from voters who were not polled.

Ramaswamy also said that campaigning in Iowa over the past year changed his life. Ramaswamy has held more than 360 events across Iowa since he started campaigning in February 2023, and he visited every one of Iowa's 99 counties at least twice.

Iowans, he said, have a way of humbling politicians.

"Go to 100 Pizza Ranches and they'll put you in your place," Ramaswamy joked. "We started with the deep-dish, we went to the thin crust. Now I'm at the salad bar by the time we leave Iowa. But it's been the most humbling, but fulfilling and memorable experience of our lives. Even late tonight when we begin to make our way to New Hampshire, we're going to miss this place."

More: What recent Iowa Polls say about the Republican presidential race in the Iowa Caucuses

Ramaswamy also planned to speak in Waterloo and Cedar Rapids before going back to the Des Moines metro area to attend caucuses at a Clive precinct. He will hold a results watch party at the Surety Hotel.

Ramaswamy closed his case for the presidency by telling evangelical Christians in the room that he practices Hinduism, but has values rooted in Christianity. He attended Xavier Catholic High School in Cincinnati and learned his sense of right and wrong there, he said.

"When I read the Ten Commandments at Saint Xavier High School in ninth grade, it didn't feel like I was reading them for the first time," Ramaswamy said. "There's one true God. Don't take his name in vain. We need a president who is able to stand for those shared values that this country was founded on."

— Philip Joens

Gov. Ron DeSantis predicts “strong performance”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis ended Sunday at a packed event in Ankeny, where he went after former President Donald Trump more aggressively and predicted a “strong performance” Monday night.

DeSantis has run a hard right campaign aimed at wooing over Trump supporters by convincing them he didn’t follow through on his promises, and DeSantis can deliver conservative victories.

Polls indicate many caucugoers aren’t responding to that message, but DeSantis and his allies tried again Sunday to make the case that he’s a better choice than the former president.

The crowd booed Trump actions highlighted by DeSantis, including attacking Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, who has endorsed DeSantis.

“You can be the most worthless Republican in America but if you kiss the ring he’ll say you’re wonderful,” said DeSantis, who benefited from Trump’s endorsement in his 2018 primary campaign. “You can be the strongest, most dynamic, successful Republican and conservative in America but if you don’t kiss that ring then he’ll try to trash you.”

DeSantis also faulted Trump for his handling of COVID-19, not trying to end birthright citizenship and not finishing the wall on the southern border.

More: More Nikki Haley supporters would vote for Biden over Trump in November, Iowa Poll finds

Some of DeSantis’ allies who spoke at the event were even more critical of Trump.

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie mocked the former president, imitating his voice as he described how Trump threatened him after Massie opposed legislation Trump wanted.

Talk show host Steve Deace referenced Trump’s legal troubles, saying: “we cannot blow this election, we cannot try to win an election while navigating 91 felony indictments.”

DeSantis has fallen into third place in recent Iowa polls behind Nikki Haley and needs a strong showing Monday to keep his campaign viable. The low polling has weighed on DeSantis’ campaign and was on the minds of his surrogates Sunday.

Deace asked the crowd: "Can you imagine what Tuesday will be like if we shock the nation on Monday?”

“You all hold in your hands the power to tell the media, the beltway elite, all the people in this country that said this election is already decided by polls that it is you who will decide,” said U.S. Rep. Chip Roy.

The rally at The District Venue was packed with supporters and media. DeSantis took the stage with his wife and three children.

Asked what success looks like for him Monday, DeSantis said: “I think everybody will know.”

“I think you’ll see a strong performance, we’ll turn our people out,” he added.

— Zac Anderson

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Caucus candidates make final sweep through state. Here's what they said today