"The stakes are really high": Minnesota Republicans head to Iowa ahead of caucuses
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Minnesota's presidential primary is still weeks away. But for Mason Epeneter, campaign season is in full swing.
Driving his days: The Minnesota College Republicans chair spent a recent weekend logging long hours knocking on doors and making calls for Nikki Haley's presidential campaign.
The catch: He drove more than three hours to Sioux City, Iowa, to do it.
What's happening: Epeneter is part of a small but passionate contingent of Minnesota Republicans continuing the quadrennial tradition of trekking south in January to volunteer ahead of the Iowa caucuses.
Why it matters: Our proximity gives Minnesotans a chance to play a role in the outcome in a state that has traditionally had an outsized impact on the presidential nominating contest.
State of play: Former President Trump, who has the backing of Minnesota's GOP congressional delegation, leads in the polls heading into the Jan. 15 caucuses.
Yes, but: While the first-in-the-nation caucuses don't always crown the nominee, the outcome can make or break a campaign. A strong showing is especially crucial for Trump's rivals this year.
- "Everybody's jockeying to be that alternative choice," said Minnesota Rep. Elliott Engen (R-White Bear Township), who plans to speak on behalf of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at an Iowa caucus site on Monday. "There's definitely going to be a one-person Trump alternative after these caucuses."
Zoom in: The caucuses are famously dependent on retail politics and in-person engagement. Grassroots volunteers and field-focused operations fuel the outreach.
- That's the focus of the Minnesota arm of Americans for Prosperity Action, which has five full-time staffers supporting Haley in Iowa this week. The Minnesota group had hit more than 1,000 doors between Monday and Thursday, with plans to continue through the weekend, state director Jake Coleman told Axios.
What they're saying: "The game is basically who can get people on that day to the caucus," said DD Dwivedy, an Eden Prairie Republican who spent the first weekend in January stumping for Haley outside of Ames. "The stakes are really high this year. And we cannot get it wrong."
Between the lines: By the time Minnesotans go to the polls on March 5, the race could look different — or even be largely decided.
- Engen said he sees the caucuses as a chance to shape the outcome of the presidential contest— which he believes will influence whether Republicans win back control of the state House — before it's too late.
"The top of the ticket matters," he said, citing conversations he's had with Trump-wary voters while knocking on constituent doors back home.
The intrigue: Operatives say the excitement surrounding the caucuses can fire up volunteers to stay engaged throughout the campaign, a dynamic that could help boost turnout in November.
- "Anytime you have the ability to see a candidate in person, it always adds a little momentum, adds a little excitement to the air of the election year," said Preya Samsundar, a Twin Cities-based GOP communications operative who has spent several cycles in Iowa.
Of note: The flow of volunteers is almost certainly lighter than four years ago when supporters and surrogates from Minnesota flooded the state on behalf of U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar's presidential campaign.
- Democrats overhauled their nominating calendar this year so that Iowa no longer goes first. Bitter cold and a schedule that puts the caucuses just weeks after the holidays could play a role in overall volunteer turnout.
What's next: Early voting in Minnesota for the March primary begins on Jan. 19.