Trump's Iowa political organizing this year is nothing like his scattershot 2016 campaign

• The state is home to the first-in-the-nation GOP nomination event, the Iowa caucus, which takes place on Jan. 15, 2024, at 7 pm.
• I’ve observed Iowa caucus campaigns over eight cycles, and my 2022 book, “Inside the Bubble,” offers a close-up of the 2020 Democratic contest.
• Today, it looks nothing like the scattershot campaign from 2016, the only other time Trump has waged a nomination battle in the state.

Car rides, phone calls

• Registered party members can participate in the caucuses, and attendees will signal their support by writing a candidate’s name on a piece of paper.
• In electoral politics across the U.S., campaigns organize by doling out responsibilities to field staff positioned across a state or electoral district.
• These volunteers engage in outreach to other potential supporters – sometimes in-person, via door-to-door canvassing or on the phone, and increasingly by sending text messages.
• They’ll make sure that known supporters get assistance they might need to get to the caucus, such as a car ride.
• Like primaries, caucuses are within political parties, so voters can’t rely on cues like party labels to pick a candidate.

Campaign bling

• Back in 2016, reluctant Trump volunteers, unfamiliar with caucus procedures, courted Iowa supporters.
• They carry out tasks on behalf of the campaign at events themselves.
• Lest this all seem overly staid, there’s bling, too – a limited edition white and gold variant of the distinctive MAGA cap for the captains.

Caucus 101 lessons

• The events have considerable time devoted to instructing the crowd about how to caucus, which is an unusual use of time at campaign events.
• The typical rally requires attendees to register and be in place well before the event begins, perhaps 1-2 hours early.
• But early in these Trump rallies, the program pivots to a Caucus 101-like presentation – how to find out where to caucus, what to do in advance and what to expect at the caucuses.
• When Democratic candidates have offered such instruction in the past, it’s been behind closed doors, reserved for known supporters and closer to caucus time.

Barbara A. Trish does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.