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ELDRIGE, Iowa (Jan. 16, 2024) – A presidential caucus is always a whirlwind of energy and activity and when you toss in many days of heavy snow and Artic winds, what do you get? Iowa Caucus 2024 – a Blizzard in a Whirlwind.

Iowa Federation of Republican Women members from frozen river to frozen river helped organize and run caucus gatherings in 1,670 precincts in 99 counties, and National Federation of Republican Women leaders traveled into the frigid First in the Nation state to be on the ground in the Des Moines area for the big night, Jan. 15.

Former President Donald Trump was declared the winner with 51 percent of the votes (56,260); followed by Governor Ron DeSantis with 21.2 percent; former Governor Nikki Haley with 19.1 percent; Vivek Ramaswamy with 7.7 percent; Ryan Binkley with 0.7 percent, and; former Governor Asa Hutchinson 0.2 percent. Mr. Ramaswamy dropped out after the results were announced and endorsed former President Trump.

“After many months of hard work, the efforts of thousands of committed volunteers across our state culminated into another successful caucus night in Iowa,” said IowaFRW President Michelle Crawford of Eldridge. “Iowa caucuses are about as grassroots as you can get. Every firm handshake, every meaningful question, every candid moment with these candidates and their families, gave Iowans the insight they needed to endure the snow-packed roads and sub-zero temperatures to show up for their carefully chosen candidate.”

IowaFRW is asked repeatedly, sometimes pointedly, during presidential election cycles, to endorse candidates, but the Federation is not about endorsing candidates; it’s about connecting candidates with voters, explained Crawford.

“The state leadership of IowaFRW as well as our 15 clubs across the state make every possible effort to give every candidate a platform to reach our members and share their messages. We sincerely appreciate the candidates and spouses who chose to spend their valuable time and resources with our groups and our members,” Crawford said.

“We congratulate former President Trump and we wish all remaining GOP candidates the best of luck in New Hampshire and beyond and hope that whoever is our nominee comes back to spend time with the women of IowaFRW. We are ALL IN committed to returning a Republican to the White House and leading our nation back to greatness,” she stressed.

Crawford, a businesswoman, wife and mother from Eastern Iowa and a former Scott County Republican Women president, was elected IowaFRW president at the fall convention in Des Moines. She took the helm on Jan. 1, 2024.

The Iowa Federation of Republican, founded in Tama County in 1939, unites the voices and values within the Republican Party. The IowaFRW (www.iowafrw.org), with local clubs and members throughout the state, proudly represents the party that first made it possible for women to vote in the United States, and works to increase the effectiveness of women in the cause of good government. IowaFRW members volunteer more than 100,000 hours annually to fulfill our mission to elect Republican candidates, promote the principles of the Republican Party, educate the public, and inform the media. IowaFRW is a member organization of the National Federation of Republican Women, the largest grassroots Republican women’s organization in the country, founded in 1938.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lori Leonard Reyman, Spokesperson                                                                      lori@iowafrw.org