Caucus night was a cold one in North Iowa, but it didn’t deter the tough Iowans who got out to caucus Monday night.
Former President Donald Trump was the big winner in Iowa with 51 percent of the vote and 56,260 votes. Ron DeSantis finished as runner-up in Iowa with 21.2 percent of the vote and 23,420 votes. Nikki Haley was close behind DeSantis with 19.1 percent of the vote and 21,085 votes. Vivek Ramaswamy was fourth with 7.7 percent and 8,449 votes. Asa Hutchinson got 191 votes and Ryan Binkley garnered 774 votes. Trump won 20 delegates after being declared winner of the First in the Nation Iowa Caucuses. DeSantis won nine delegates, while Haley won eight. Ramaswamy won three delegates.
Ramaswamy dropped out of the race following Monday night’s results and he said he will lend his support to Trump.
Locally there were two caucus sites, one at Clear Lake High School and one at the Ventura Community Center.
A break-down of the precincts shows Clear Lake followed in step with the rest of Iowa and voted in favor of former President Trump.
Results for Clear Lake Ward 1: DeSantis: 30; Haley 27; Hutchinson 1; Ramaswamy 1; Binkley 3; Trump 56; total 118.
Results for CL Ward 2: DeSantis 14; Haley 37; Hutchinson 1; Ramaswamy 12; Trump, 49; other 1; total 114.
Results of CL Ward 3: DeSantis 18; Haley 20; Ramaswamy 13; Binkley 4; Trump 75; total 130.
The Ventura Community Center hosted Grant, Union and Clear Lake townships. Of the 168 people in attendance that voted, Ramaswarmy got 13 votes, 24 for Haley, 29 for DeSantis and 102 for Trump.
“It’s an honor and a priviledge to take part in this political process,” said Dan Peterson, who caucaused in Ventura. “We all need to get out to express ourselves and vote.”
