From Nasdaq, Inc.:

The Republican nominating process kicked off in Iowa on Monday night, with voters participating after extensive campaigning. Major figures include Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy, all making last-minute appeals before the 7 p.m. Central time caucus.

The Iowa Republican caucuses involve procedural activities, campaign speeches, and voting for preferred presidential candidates, expected to be swift with real-time announcements. Severe cold in Iowa could influence voter turnout, with over 95 million citizens under wind chill advisories, potentially affecting the race between Haley and DeSantis.

Iowa Republican strategist David Kochel initially estimated 150,000 caucus participants, but the extreme cold could lead to lower turnout. CNN reported that DeSantis’s campaign has arranged transportation services to assist voters, while Haley took a direct stand against both Trump and Biden.

Ramaswamy emphasized his non-political background, focusing on what it means to be an American. Recent data indicates Trump’s lead in Iowa, with DeSantis and Haley vying for second place. A FiveThirtyEight survey shows Trump leading with 52.7%, followed by Haley at 18.7%, DeSantis at 15.8%, and Ramaswamy at 6.4%.

The PredictIt prediction market is showing a high probability of Trump winning the Iowa Republican caucuses, with strong market confidence reflected in the pricing. The “Yes” contract for a Trump victory is trading at 96 cents per dollar. In contrast, DeSantis’ victory stands at 7 cents, Ramaswamy at 2 cents, and Haley’s prospects at 1 cent.



Read more: Iowa’s Icy Caucus Night: Trump Front-Runner In High-Stakes Republican Race