Expectations for turnout at the Iowa caucuses had been high heading into the year,verdicoin following record-shattering attendance in the last competitive GOP contest.
But just over 110,000 voters participated in the 2024 caucuses, falling well below the high expectations for turnout in 2024. Former President Donald Trump handily won the contest, trailed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.
There could be a number of reasons for the low turnout: A lack of enthusiasm among Republicans plus record-breaking weather seemed to stand in the way, keeping some voters home amid the unprecedented caucus cold, while others braved the frigid temperatures.
The 110,000 voters who participated in the 2024 cacuses accounts for just under 15% of the state's 752,000 registered Republicans.
Still, though the attendance didn't shatter records, the Iowa GOP celebrated the turnout as a demonstration of Iowans' "resilience and determination."
"Iowans braved record-low temperatures after a blizzard blanketed their state just days earlier to deliberate with members of their community about the future of our country and participate in true, grassroots democracy," Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said in a statement. "I could not be prouder to be an Iowan than I am tonight."
In 2016, Republicans set a new record for turnout at the caucuses, with almost 187,000 GOP voters. Though the total made up only about a third of all registered Republicans, turnout at the 2016 caucuses greatly outnumbered the 2012 contest, which had about 122,000 voters. And in 2008, the turnout was similar, with 120,000 voters, making the 2024 Iowa caucuses turnout the lowest in more than a decade.
Trump won more than 56,000 votes in Iowa on Monday night, meaning he walked away with more than 50% of all ballots cast. He likely will take 20 delegates out of the 40 at stake. DeSantis will pick up at least eight delegates and Haley at least seven. There are 1,215 delegates needed to win the nomination.
Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.
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