usatoday--2020-02-03--'He's changed': Jill Biden says 'it's hard' to consider Lindsey Graham a friend amid Ukraine controv

WASHINGTON — Dr. Jill Biden , whose husband former Vice President Joe Biden finds himself at the center of the impeachment of President Donald Trump , said on Monday that she does n't consider Sen. Lindsey Graham , R-S.C. , a friend any longer .
`` You know , it 's hard when you , I do n't know , consider somebody a friend and then they 've said so many things , so many negative things .
And it's—that 's been a little hurtful , '' Biden said in an interview with CNN , responding to whether she still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ally , as a friend .
Graham had told Fox News on Sunday that `` the day of reckoning is coming for congressional and Senate oversight of Joe Biden . ''
Trump is expected to be acquitted Wednesday by the Republican-majority Senate on two articles of impeachment : abuse of power and obstruction of Congress .
He is accused of pressuring Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son , Hunter Biden , and leveraging military aid to do so .
Republican allies of the president have attempted to pivot the focus onto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his office to help his son , who sat on the board of a Ukrainian company that was once the focus of a probe .
They believe that Joe Biden pushed for the firing of a top Ukrainian prosecutor while he was vice president in order to benefit his son .
Biden opposed the prosecutor because he was weak on tackling corruption cases , as was the consensus of international anti-corruption groups and official U.S. policy on Ukraine .
Explainer : Biden , allies pushed out Ukrainian prosecutor because he did n't pursue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chairman , said late last year that his push for investigating the Bidens `` has nothing to do with friendship . ''
Graham was responding to Joe Biden 's criticism after he requested documents from the State Department pertaining to Biden 's interactions with Ukrainian officials .
`` I am disappointed , and quite frankly I 'm angered by the fact that he knows me , he knows my son , he knows there 's nothing to this , '' Biden said at the time .
`` My friendship with Joe Biden , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my job , it 's not the friendship I thought we had . ''
' I 'm embarrassed for you ' : Joe Biden says Lindsey Graham will regret backing Trump amid Ukraine controversy Graham then said on Sunday that he intends to ask the State Department why they did n't investigate the `` obvious conflict of interests '' Biden had .
`` And I can prove beyond any doubt that Joe Biden 's effort in Ukraine to root out corruption was undercut , because he let his son sit on the board @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ukraine , and we 're not going to give him a pass on that , '' he said .
On Monday , Jill Biden was asked a question about Graham , `` whom I think you count as a friend . ''
`` We did , yes , '' she said .
`` I do n't know what happened to Lindsey , '' Biden said .
`` And we used to be great friends and friends with John McCain .
I mean we traveled together with the Foreign Relations Committee .
We 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now he 's changed . ''
She rejected the notion that Hunter Biden should be called to testify before the Senate .
`` Hunter has done nothing wrong .
Why would Hunter be called ? ''
she said .
`` Donald Trump should be before that committee . ''
'You do not know what you 're talking about ' : Joe Biden irked by reporter 's questions about Hunter , Ukraine House Democratic impeachment managers and Trump 's legal defense team gave closing arguments in the Senate impeachment trial on Monday , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the chamber before a vote will decide on acquittal or removal .

'He's changed': Jill Biden says 'it's hard' to consider Lindsey Graham a friend amid Ukraine controversy
Show Caption Hide Caption On Iowa Caucus Day, impeachment trial keeps four candidates away President Trump's impeachment trial is keeping four presidential candidates in Washington on Iowa Caucus Day. USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — Dr. Jill Biden, whose husband former Vice President Joe Biden finds himself at the center of the impeachment of President Donald Trump, said on Monday that she doesn't consider Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a friend any longer.
"You know, it's hard when you, I don't know, consider somebody a friend and then they've said so many things, so many negative things. And it's—that's been a little hurtful," Biden said in an interview with CNN, responding to whether she still thinks of Grahan, a vocal Trump ally, as a friend.
Graham had told Fox News on Sunday that "the day of reckoning is coming for congressional and Senate oversight of Joe Biden."
Trump is expected to be acquitted Wednesday by the Republican-majority Senate on two articles of impeachment: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. He is accused of pressuring Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, and leveraging military aid to do so.
Closing arguments begin: Live updates from the Senate impeachment trial
"We used to be great friends... And now he's changed," says Jill Biden, wife of Joe Biden, about Sen. Lindsey Graham's stance on the impeachment trial. "It's hard when you consider somebody a friend and they've said so many negative things. That's been a little hurtful." pic.twitter.com/tjR1JsFrDJ — New Day (@NewDay) February 3, 2020
Republican allies of the president have attempted to pivot the focus onto their theory that Biden tried to use his office to help his son, who sat on the board of a Ukrainian company that was once the focus of a probe. They believe that Joe Biden pushed for the firing of a top Ukrainian prosecutor while he was vice president in order to benefit his son. Biden opposed the prosecutor because he was weak on tackling corruption cases, as was the consensus of international anti-corruption groups and official U.S. policy on Ukraine.
Explainer: Biden, allies pushed out Ukrainian prosecutor because he didn't pursue corruption cases
Graham, the Senate Judiciary chairman, said late last year that his push for investigating the Bidens "has nothing to do with friendship." Graham was responding to Joe Biden's criticism after he requested documents from the State Department pertaining to Biden's interactions with Ukrainian officials.
"I am disappointed, and quite frankly I'm angered by the fact that he knows me, he knows my son, he knows there's nothing to this," Biden said at the time.
Graham responded in November.
"My friendship with Joe Biden, if he can't withstand me doing my job, it's not the friendship I thought we had."
'I'm embarrassed for you': Joe Biden says Lindsey Graham will regret backing Trump amid Ukraine controversy
Graham then said on Sunday that he intends to ask the State Department why they didn't investigate the "obvious conflict of interests" Biden had.
"And I can prove beyond any doubt that Joe Biden's effort in Ukraine to root out corruption was undercut, because he let his son sit on the board of the most corrupt company in the Ukraine, and we're not going to give him a pass on that," he said.
On Monday, Jill Biden was asked a question about Graham, "whom I think you count as a friend."
"We did, yes," she said.
"I don't know what happened to Lindsey," Biden said. "And we used to be great friends and friends with John McCain. I mean we traveled together with the Foreign Relations Committee. We've had dinner. You know, and now he's changed."
She rejected the notion that Hunter Biden should be called to testify before the Senate.
"Hunter has done nothing wrong. Why would Hunter be called?" she said. "Donald Trump should be before that committee."
'You do not know what you're talking about': Joe Biden irked by reporter's questions about Hunter, Ukraine
House Democratic impeachment managers and Trump's legal defense team gave closing arguments in the Senate impeachment trial on Monday, and senators are expected to give speeches in the chamber before a vote will decide on acquittal or removal.
Contributing: William Cummings


usatoday--2020-02-03--Iowa caucus: What to watch for in 3 crucial Iowa counties Monday night

DES MOINES — With so much happening on Caucus Day — there are more than 1,700 caucus precincts statewide , 28 national and international satellite locations and expected record-breaking turnout — keeping track of results in real time will be overwhelming .
Here 's a way to focus in on Monday : Watch what 's unfolding in three counties where voting patterns could signal trends across Iowa and the nation — trends that could prove critical to the outcome of the presidential race .
The three key counties , which the Des Moines Register has profiled over the course of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Clinton County , in eastern Iowa , which could be a bellwether for more rural and micropolitan parts of the states with strong union ties and blue-collar roots .
• The uber-progressive Johnson County , which will give insight into the progressive battle between U.S. Sens .
Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren , as well as youth turnout .
• Polk County , where returns will spotlight the state ’ s largest Democratic base as well as suburban precincts surrounding Des Moines that were critical to the 2018 Democratic surge .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spotlight turned to places like Clinton County , with a mostly white and aging population .
The county , which borders the Mississippi River , supported Trump in 2016 .
Voters there had not chosen a Republican for president since Ronald Reagan sought reelection in 1984 .
Clinton County was among 31 Iowa counties that flipped from Obama to Trump , with many of them clustered in eastern Iowa and along the Mississippi River .
Their communities were built on manufacturing and have been hit hard by declines in population and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may resonate in similar counties across the country .
That could be a critical point for candidates who want to argue they 're best positioned to win back blue-to-red swing states in the industrial Midwest like Michigan and Pennsylvania .
More : How do the Iowa caucuses work and how they are different than a primary ?
Clinton County 's largest turnout has typically been in the city of Clinton 's 22nd precinct , said county party chairman Bill Jacobs .
`` That 's kind of the heart of the town , really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Dewitt 's 2nd precinct as a place where the results will be more reflective of the county 's preferences overall , he said .
DeWitt has about 5,300 people and sits 20 miles west of Clinton .
`` We have a large number of activists in that precinct , and it ’ ll be really well run , '' Jacobs said .
`` It ’ s our largest ( precinct ) , in terms of the number of people who show up outside of the city proper . ''
Two precincts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could show how Iowa 's rural voters are leaning on caucus night : The Elk River-Hampshire-Andover and Spring Rock-Wheatland precincts are ones to watch , Jacobs said .
More : Could multiple candidates 'win ' the Iowa Democratic caucus ?
New rules make it possible .
Former Vice President Joe Biden , former South Bend , Indiana , Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Warren are the only campaigns to open field offices in the area , Jacobs said , though Sanders has staffers there .
Sanders , running on a populist agenda with an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Clinton County 's caucus night support in 2016 .
Jean Pardee , a longtime county party leader and Clinton resident , said she 's interested to see whether Sanders ' support holds or tapers off , or if his supporters `` feel they got so burnt last time '' they stay home entirely .
`` Earlier , I thought Bernie was doing well , had a solid base .
But I 'm not sure that ’ s being totally maintained , '' she said .
`` Apparently , at least some of it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has ties to the area 's union and blue-collar roots , also entered the race as a known commodity after his previous presidential runs in 1988 and 2008 .
Clinton County is among the places his campaign officials have said they expect to do well .
`` The other ( way to win ) is who beats the expectations , which is probably ( U.S. Sen. Amy ) Klobuchar or Warren , '' Jacobs said .
`` I think the expectations of Warren are definitely lower than they were a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lt. Gov .
Patty Judge both said they also will be watching to see if Klobuchar beats expectations , particularly among the county 's more rural voters .
`` She 's our girl next door , '' Judge said .
`` She 's worked hard here . ''
Local party leaders say they expect rural caucus participation to skyrocket as part of increased participation statewide .
Jacobs said Clinton County party officials are preparing for turnout to surge by a minimum of 25 % at local precincts .
He said 66 people caucused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 , and he is watching to see whether attendance hits 100 people this year .
At the even smaller Spring Rock-Wheatland precinct , 30 people caucused in 2016 .
Jacobs said he 's hoping to see 50 people turn out there this year .
Jacobs said he is reluctant to speculate which candidate will emerge from rural precincts like those .
But if turnout grows substantially over 2016 , he said it will show there is `` a dissatisfaction with the Republican Party and with Donald Trump , in particular , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be key to Iowa Democrats ' chances of flipping the state from red to blue in the 2020 general election .
As Democratic presidential candidates vie for Iowa ’ s progressive vote , they 're battling to lock down supporters in what 's known colloquially as the “ People ’ s Republic ” of Johnson County .
Johnson County has a higher percentage of active registered Democrats — 46.7 % — than any other county in Iowa .
It also boasts a far younger population in large part because of the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a median age of 29.9 years , Johnson is the second-youngest county in a state known for its aging population ( edged only by Story County , home to Iowa State University ) .
Both demographics helped boost Sanders ' overall support on caucus night in 2016 .
Though he won about half of the vote statewide , Sanders finished at nearly 60 % in Johnson County to Hillary Clinton 's 40 % , one of his best showings in the state .
Young voters broke hard for Sanders in 2016 , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lead among young likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa this year , according to recent Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Polls .
Pay attention to Iowa City 's 5th precinct , where many University of Iowa students will caucus .
Organizers have paid to rent the Englert Civic Theatre , a large venue , to accommodate an expected surge in turnout .
The results in this precinct will signal whether Sanders has maintained his 2016 student support or whether others have wrested it from him .
Iowa City 's 23rd precinct is also key , according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa City 's east side , where many of the city 's full-time residents live .
Though still ardently liberal , these caucusgoers are more likely to be university faculty and staff rather than students .
A precinct like the 23rd will have a high turnout of older caucusgoers and people finished with their post-secondary education .
`` What really makes us the most liberal county in the state is the faculty and staff , '' said John Deeth , a member of the Johnson County Democrats ' executive committee .
But Johnson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Penn-East Lucas N , for example , is a precinct southeast of North Liberty , a suburban area .
Results may look different there than in city precincts .
Results in the suburbs surrounding Iowa City may show how moderate Democrats in a very liberal area are feeling , come caucus night .
Organizers predict Sanders and Warren , two of the most progressive candidates in the 2020 Democratic primary field , will win big in Johnson County .
`` We 're not expecting any surprises : Warren and Sanders are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' said Nick Pryor , president of the University of Iowa College Democrats .
`` But how it breaks down , that 's what I 'm really interested to see . ''
Sanders and Warren led the latest Iowa Poll at 20 % and 17 % , respectively .
Among those younger than 35 , Sanders led Warren 36 % to 20 % .
If the polling remains that close on caucus night , Johnson County could be the place where one of them gains an edge over the other .
Since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote totals in addition to the traditional state delegate equivalents , candidates can compete to win the `` popular '' vote as well as the delegate count .
Previously , Iowa 's caucus rules dissuaded candidates from concentrating too heavily in one area because the available number of delegates they could win was capped .
Now that candidates get credit for every person who shows up to caucus for them , their campaigns could choose to run up the score in places where they know they 're likely to do well to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
If there 's any county where it makes sense to do that , it 's Johnson , where local party leaders have argued for years that they 're apportioned fewer delegates than their population and turnout deserve .
Watch to see whether Warren or Sanders wins the popular vote here — if they drive up the score enough , it could ultimately help them swing the final statewide popular vote tally in their favor .
White , educated , suburban women drove election turnout in 2018 , helping to flip seats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa House and the U.S. House .
They 're also akey constituency for Democratic presidential candidates seeking to win caucus support and boost turnout in the 2020 general election .
The debate over health care has been especially pertinent in these suburban neighborhoods outside of Des Moines .
In 2018 , candidates won in part by running hyper-disciplined campaigns focused on protecting 2010 's Affordable Care Act and its insurance coverage for people with preexisting conditions .
But Democratic presidential candidates like Sanders and Warren are pushing the party further to the left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All . ''
The candidate who can energize suburban voters in the caucuses could make the case they 're best positioned to continue the momentum of 2018 into 2020 .
Polk County , which includes Iowa 's capital city of Des Moines , is the state 's most populous — a fact that makes it worth watching on its own .
About 12 % of the state 's precincts are in Polk County .
But a little less than half of Polk County residents live in Des Moines .
The rest of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exurban areas .
To capture the sentiment among suburban voters , watch Ankeny 's 12th precinct , said Ankeny Area Democrats chair Mary McAdams , who recently endorsed Warren .
The northern Des Moines suburb has grown by more than 42 % since the 2010 census , when precinct lines were last determined , according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates .
There are now 1,300 registered Democrats in Ankeny 's 12th .
In addition to its size , the precinct will likely be `` representative of what 's happening in the suburbs at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ executive director Judy Downs .
Another precinct to watch is Des Moines ' 62nd , a large area that includes parts of the Waterbury , Ingersoll Park , Westwood and Linden Heights neighborhoods , where local party leaders , activists and donors are concentrated .
That makes it a bellwether for candidates ' support among some of Iowa 's most engaged Democrats , Downs said .
Polk County Democrats chair Sean Bagniewski said he expects Polk County 's results to be available relatively early in the night , close to 8 p.m. Buttigieg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paths to victory in Polk County , Bagniewski said .
He and Downs expect Biden to fare better in rural counties than in Polk County as a result of his organizing and messaging .
Johnston Area Democrats chair Dave Vawter , who is a precinct captain for billionaire businessman Tom Steyer , said he anticipates some lower-polling candidates to “ come out with support that the national media has not ... anticipated.
” He pegged Klobuchar as someone to watch .
“ I still think Klobuchar could actually do pretty well , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Midwesterner and she 's more than qualified for the position.
” “ It would surprise me if the front-runners who were leading ... six months ago win the caucus , ” Downs said .
“ It 's going to surprise me if there is n't some story or some surprising win.
” In addition to the recent population increase in Ankeny , Democratic turnout in recent local elections has also been up .
As a result of both , Bagniewski expects two Ankeny precincts to have three times as many caucusgoers as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent spate of Democratic victories in local suburban elections is evidence of an engaged voter base .
Meanwhile , the Iowa suburbs have seen record growth in the last decade .
McAdams said it 's been difficult to find caucus sites big enough to accommodate anticipated crowds , but that people shouldn ’ t complain .
“ It is what it is .
We redistrict every 10 years and there 's growth , ” she said .
“ There 's nothing you can do except turn out for the future so that you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it 's based on past turnout , so you can kind of say , ‘ Hey , where was everybody in 2016 ?
’ We 're paying for that now.
” She said her team has worked 'round the clock to ensure this year ’ s caucuses run smoother than in 2016 .
They 've recruited and trained more people and invested in larger spaces — even if that means that 60 percent of Ankeny voters will have to travel slightly outside their own precincts to caucus .
“ They ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ We have worked our butts off to make that not happen.
” In the six months leading up to Iowa 's first-in-the-nation caucuses , the Des Moines Register ’ s chief political reporter , Brianne Pfannenstiel , and other Register journalists have told the stories of Clinton , Johnson and Polk counties and their residents as they sort through messages and messengers .
This unique journey through history , economies and culture has brought Register subscribers to a county that flipped from supporting President Barack Obama to candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liberal politics and a third that has growing suburbs .
The decisions made by voters in these three Iowa counties in 2020 could signal decisions that will be made in similar places across Iowa and the nation and prove key to the outcome of the 2020 presidential election .
The series features deep research and rich storytelling from Pfannenstiel and reporters Kim Norvell , Shelby Fleig and Robin Opsahl , combined with compelling imagery from political team photographer Kelsey Kremer and data journalism from Tim Webber .
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at bpfann @ dmreg.com or 515-284-8244 .
Follow her on Twitter at @ brianneDMR .
Kim Norvell covers Elizabeth Warren and growth and development for the Register .
Reach her at knorvell @ dmreg.com or 515-284-8259 .
Shelby Fleig covers Amy Klobuchar , news and features for the Register .
Reach her at shelbyfleig @ dmreg.com or 515-214-8933 .
Robin Opsahl covers political trends for the Register .
Reach them at ropsahl @ registermedia.com or 515-284-8051 .

Brianne Pfannenstiel, Kim Norvell, Robin Opsahl and Shelby Fleig, Des Moines Register

Iowa caucus: What to watch for in 3 crucial Iowa counties Monday night
Show Caption Hide Caption Iowa caucus: Just how much influence does it have on the primary? The Iowa caucus is sure to be competitive this year. But what makes caucuses different from primaries? Just the FAQs
DES MOINES — With so much happening on Caucus Day — there are more than 1,700 caucus precincts statewide, 28 national and international satellite locations and expected record-breaking turnout — keeping track of results in real time will be overwhelming.
Here's a way to focus in on Monday: Watch what's unfolding in three counties where voting patterns could signal trends across Iowa and the nation — trends that could prove critical to the outcome of the presidential race.
The three key counties, which the Des Moines Register has profiled over the course of the 2020 caucus cycle, are:
Clinton County, in eastern Iowa, which could be a bellwether for more rural and micropolitan parts of the states with strong union ties and blue-collar roots.
The uber-progressive Johnson County, which will give insight into the progressive battle between U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, as well as youth turnout.
Polk County, where returns will spotlight the state’s largest Democratic base as well as suburban precincts surrounding Des Moines that were critical to the 2018 Democratic surge.
2020 Iowa caucus: Democratic Party leaders expect 'biggest ever' turnout Hear from Democratic party leaders in Clinton, Johnson and Polk counties about what they're doing to prepare for caucus night. Kelsey Kremer, kkremer@dmreg.com
Clinton County
When Republican President Donald Trump was elected, the spotlight turned to places like Clinton County, with a mostly white and aging population. The county, which borders the Mississippi River, supported Trump in 2016. Voters there had not chosen a Republican for president since Ronald Reagan sought reelection in 1984.
Clinton County was among 31 Iowa counties that flipped from Obama to Trump, with many of them clustered in eastern Iowa and along the Mississippi River. Their communities were built on manufacturing and have been hit hard by declines in population and the economy.
Clinton's caucus night winner may resonate in similar counties across the country. That could be a critical point for candidates who want to argue they're best positioned to win back blue-to-red swing states in the industrial Midwest like Michigan and Pennsylvania.
More: How do the Iowa caucuses work and how they are different than a primary?
Precincts to watch
Clinton County's largest turnout has typically been in the city of Clinton's 22nd precinct, said county party chairman Bill Jacobs.
"That's kind of the heart of the town, really," he said.
But look to Dewitt's 2nd precinct as a place where the results will be more reflective of the county's preferences overall, he said. DeWitt has about 5,300 people and sits 20 miles west of Clinton.
"We have a large number of activists in that precinct, and it’ll be really well run," Jacobs said. "It’s our largest (precinct), in terms of the number of people who show up outside of the city proper."
Two precincts in even less populous parts of the county could show how Iowa's rural voters are leaning on caucus night: The Elk River-Hampshire-Andover and Spring Rock-Wheatland precincts are ones to watch, Jacobs said.
More: Could multiple candidates 'win' the Iowa Democratic caucus? New rules make it possible.
Ride along on a Clinton County, Iowa, tour, from decaying stores to a revived riverfront Clinton County Democratic Party Chairman Bill Jacobs takes us on the tour he gives to local organizers to help them learn more about their community. Kelsey Kremer, kkremer@dmreg.com
Candidates to watch
Former Vice President Joe Biden, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Warren are the only campaigns to open field offices in the area, Jacobs said, though Sanders has staffers there.
Sanders, running on a populist agenda with an outsider's mentality, earned half of Clinton County's caucus night support in 2016.
Jean Pardee, a longtime county party leader and Clinton resident, said she's interested to see whether Sanders' support holds or tapers off, or if his supporters "feel they got so burnt last time" they stay home entirely.
"Earlier, I thought Bernie was doing well, had a solid base. But I'm not sure that’s being totally maintained," she said. "Apparently, at least some of it is going to Warren."
Biden, who has ties to the area's union and blue-collar roots, also entered the race as a known commodity after his previous presidential runs in 1988 and 2008. Clinton County is among the places his campaign officials have said they expect to do well.
"The other (way to win) is who beats the expectations, which is probably (U.S. Sen. Amy) Klobuchar or Warren," Jacobs said. "I think the expectations of Warren are definitely lower than they were a few months ago."
Pardee and former Lt. Gov. Patty Judge both said they also will be watching to see if Klobuchar beats expectations, particularly among the county's more rural voters.
"She's our girl next door," Judge said. "She's worked hard here."
Watch for rural voter participation
Local party leaders say they expect rural caucus participation to skyrocket as part of increased participation statewide. Jacobs said Clinton County party officials are preparing for turnout to surge by a minimum of 25% at local precincts.
He said 66 people caucused at the rural Elk River-Hampshire-Andover precinct in 2016, and he is watching to see whether attendance hits 100 people this year. At the even smaller Spring Rock-Wheatland precinct, 30 people caucused in 2016. Jacobs said he's hoping to see 50 people turn out there this year.
Jacobs said he is reluctant to speculate which candidate will emerge from rural precincts like those. But if turnout grows substantially over 2016, he said it will show there is "a dissatisfaction with the Republican Party and with Donald Trump, in particular," that could benefit Democrats overall.
That could be key to Iowa Democrats' chances of flipping the state from red to blue in the 2020 general election.
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Johnson County
As Democratic presidential candidates vie for Iowa’s progressive vote, they're battling to lock down supporters in what's known colloquially as the “People’s Republic” of Johnson County.
Johnson County has a higher percentage of active registered Democrats — 46.7% — than any other county in Iowa. It also boasts a far younger population in large part because of the University of Iowa in Iowa City. With a median age of 29.9 years, Johnson is the second-youngest county in a state known for its aging population (edged only by Story County, home to Iowa State University).
Both demographics helped boost Sanders' overall support on caucus night in 2016.
Though he won about half of the vote statewide, Sanders finished at nearly 60% in Johnson County to Hillary Clinton's 40%, one of his best showings in the state.
Precincts to watch
Young voters broke hard for Sanders in 2016, according to exit polling. And he continues to lead among young likely Democratic caucusgoers in Iowa this year, according to recent Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Polls.
Pay attention to Iowa City's 5th precinct, where many University of Iowa students will caucus. Organizers have paid to rent the Englert Civic Theatre, a large venue, to accommodate an expected surge in turnout.
The results in this precinct will signal whether Sanders has maintained his 2016 student support or whether others have wrested it from him.
Iowa City's 23rd precinct is also key, according to local organizers. It is on Iowa City's east side, where many of the city's full-time residents live.
Though still ardently liberal, these caucusgoers are more likely to be university faculty and staff rather than students. A precinct like the 23rd will have a high turnout of older caucusgoers and people finished with their post-secondary education.
"What really makes us the most liberal county in the state is the faculty and staff," said John Deeth, a member of the Johnson County Democrats' executive committee.
But Johnson County is more than just Iowa City. Penn-East Lucas N, for example, is a precinct southeast of North Liberty, a suburban area. Results may look different there than in city precincts. Results in the suburbs surrounding Iowa City may show how moderate Democrats in a very liberal area are feeling, come caucus night.
University of Iowa: What issues do college-age Democrats care about most? University of Iowa students share what issues are most important to them as they consider who to support in the 2020 Democratic Iowa caucuses. Kelsey Kremer, kkremer@dmreg.com
Candidates to watch
Organizers predict Sanders and Warren, two of the most progressive candidates in the 2020 Democratic primary field, will win big in Johnson County.
"We're not expecting any surprises: Warren and Sanders are going to do well with young voters," said Nick Pryor, president of the University of Iowa College Democrats. "But how it breaks down, that's what I'm really interested to see."
Sanders and Warren led the latest Iowa Poll at 20% and 17%, respectively. Among those younger than 35, Sanders led Warren 36% to 20%.
If the polling remains that close on caucus night, Johnson County could be the place where one of them gains an edge over the other.
Watch the popular vote
Since the Iowa Democratic Party will release the raw vote totals in addition to the traditional state delegate equivalents, candidates can compete to win the "popular" vote as well as the delegate count.
Previously, Iowa's caucus rules dissuaded candidates from concentrating too heavily in one area because the available number of delegates they could win was capped. Now that candidates get credit for every person who shows up to caucus for them, their campaigns could choose to run up the score in places where they know they're likely to do well to help cushion losses in other parts of the state.
If there's any county where it makes sense to do that, it's Johnson, where local party leaders have argued for years that they're apportioned fewer delegates than their population and turnout deserve.
Watch to see whether Warren or Sanders wins the popular vote here — if they drive up the score enough, it could ultimately help them swing the final statewide popular vote tally in their favor.
Polk County
White, educated, suburban women drove election turnout in 2018, helping to flip seats from Republican to Democrat in both the Iowa House and the U.S. House. They're also a key constituency for Democratic presidential candidates seeking to win caucus support and boost turnout in the 2020 general election.
The debate over health care has been especially pertinent in these suburban neighborhoods outside of Des Moines. In 2018, candidates won in part by running hyper-disciplined campaigns focused on protecting 2010's Affordable Care Act and its insurance coverage for people with preexisting conditions. But Democratic presidential candidates like Sanders and Warren are pushing the party further to the left in the debate over "Medicare for All."
The candidate who can energize suburban voters in the caucuses could make the case they're best positioned to continue the momentum of 2018 into 2020.
Precincts to watch
Polk County, which includes Iowa's capital city of Des Moines, is the state's most populous — a fact that makes it worth watching on its own. About 12% of the state's precincts are in Polk County.
But a little less than half of Polk County residents live in Des Moines. The rest of its nearly 500,000 people reside in suburban and exurban areas.
To capture the sentiment among suburban voters, watch Ankeny's 12th precinct, said Ankeny Area Democrats chair Mary McAdams, who recently endorsed Warren. The northern Des Moines suburb has grown by more than 42% since the 2010 census, when precinct lines were last determined, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. There are now 1,300 registered Democrats in Ankeny's 12th.
In addition to its size, the precinct will likely be "representative of what's happening in the suburbs at large," said Polk County Democrats executive director Judy Downs.
Another precinct to watch is Des Moines' 62nd, a large area that includes parts of the Waterbury, Ingersoll Park, Westwood and Linden Heights neighborhoods, where local party leaders, activists and donors are concentrated. That makes it a bellwether for candidates' support among some of Iowa's most engaged Democrats, Downs said.
Polk County Democrats chair Sean Bagniewski said he expects Polk County's results to be available relatively early in the night, close to 8 p.m.
Local Democratic group organizer: 'I can do some damage in Ankeny, Iowa' Mary McAdams, chair of the Ankeny Area Democrats, talks about the power of political organizing on the local level. Kelsey Kremer, kkremer@dmreg.com
Candidates to watch
Buttigieg, Sanders and Warren each have clear paths to victory in Polk County, Bagniewski said. He and Downs expect Biden to fare better in rural counties than in Polk County as a result of his organizing and messaging.
Johnston Area Democrats chair Dave Vawter, who is a precinct captain for billionaire businessman Tom Steyer, said he anticipates some lower-polling candidates to “come out with support that the national media has not ... anticipated.”
He pegged Klobuchar as someone to watch.
“I still think Klobuchar could actually do pretty well,” he said. “She's a Midwesterner and she's more than qualified for the position.”
“It would surprise me if the front-runners who were leading ... six months ago win the caucus,” Downs said. “It's going to surprise me if there isn't some story or some surprising win.”
Watch for busy caucus sites
In addition to the recent population increase in Ankeny, Democratic turnout in recent local elections has also been up. As a result of both, Bagniewski expects two Ankeny precincts to have three times as many caucusgoers as they did in 2016.
He said a recent spate of Democratic victories in local suburban elections is evidence of an engaged voter base. Meanwhile, the Iowa suburbs have seen record growth in the last decade.
McAdams said it's been difficult to find caucus sites big enough to accommodate anticipated crowds, but that people shouldn’t complain.
“It is what it is. We redistrict every 10 years and there's growth,” she said. “There's nothing you can do except turn out for the future so that you get more delegates for the future — it's based on past turnout, so you can kind of say, ‘Hey, where was everybody in 2016?’ We're paying for that now.”
She said her team has worked 'round the clock to ensure this year’s caucuses run smoother than in 2016. They've recruited and trained more people and invested in larger spaces — even if that means that 60 percent of Ankeny voters will have to travel slightly outside their own precincts to caucus.
“They’re not going to be crowded this time,” she said. “We have worked our butts off to make that not happen.”
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About this project
In the six months leading up to Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses, the Des Moines Register’s chief political reporter, Brianne Pfannenstiel, and other Register journalists have told the stories of Clinton, Johnson and Polk counties and their residents as they sort through messages and messengers.
This unique journey through history, economies and culture has brought Register subscribers to a county that flipped from supporting President Barack Obama to candidate Donald Trump, one that embraces deep liberal politics and a third that has growing suburbs. The decisions made by voters in these three Iowa counties in 2020 could signal decisions that will be made in similar places across Iowa and the nation and prove key to the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.
The series features deep research and rich storytelling from Pfannenstiel and reporters Kim Norvell, Shelby Fleig and Robin Opsahl, combined with compelling imagery from political team photographer Kelsey Kremer and data journalism from Tim Webber.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR. Kim Norvell covers Elizabeth Warren and growth and development for the Register. Reach her at knorvell@dmreg.com or 515-284-8259. Shelby Fleig covers Amy Klobuchar, news and features for the Register. Reach her at shelbyfleig@dmreg.com or 515-214-8933. Robin Opsahl covers political trends for the Register. Reach them at ropsahl@registermedia.com or 515-284-8051.


usatoday--2020-02-03--2020 Iowa caucus: The 'first of the first' caucus site kicks off a high-stakes day

OTTUMWA , Ia .
— The Iowa caucuses have officially begun , with Democrats in southeastern Iowa declaring their preferences and kicking off a day that will help determine the fates of the seven presidential hopefuls who have staked everything on this state .
The Ottumwa satellite precinct caucus — which kicked off at noon at the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 230 union hall — was the first of roughly 1,700 caucus locations in Iowa to meet Monday .
At those locations across Iowa , the country and the world , Democrats will get the first take on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidential contenders .
Before the vast majority of the country gets to weigh in , Iowans will already have made their mark .
More : What is a delegate equivalent ?
Or a viability threshold ?
The Iowa caucuses , explained .
`` This is the very first satellite caucus to take place in the United States , which also means that this is the very first — and you all are the very first people — in the country to cast ballots in the presidential election , '' Zach Simonson , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , told attendees .
`` You ’ re the first of the first .
It ’ s a phenomenal opportunity that we have to throw the spotlight onto what we ’ re going to do as Democrats in order to defeat Donald Trump , in order to bring about a progressive agenda and to elect Democrats at all levels.
” Though nearly all of Iowa 's precincts will convene their caucuses at 7 p.m. CDT , local Democrats petitioned the Iowa Democratic Party to host this so-called satellite location earlier in the day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who work the second shift at the local pork processing plant and during the evenings at other service industry jobs when the caucuses are traditionally held .
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont won the precinct 's first alignment , with 14 of the precinct 's 15 people .
One person caucused for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts .
Warren 's supporter said she did not wish to caucus for Sanders on the second alignment .
The Iowa Democratic Party will award delegates from the satellite caucus locations based on their final @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ultimate winner of Iowa 's caucuses will be based on those delegate numbers .
Live updates : The Iowa caucuses are here .
Follow along for coverage from across Iowa , and the world The Ottumwa results may not ultimately reflect Democrats ' choices statewide , and they represent the smallest slice of the Iowa caucus electorate .
But with Democrats across the state and the country are eager for a final verdict , they offer the earliest insight into how Iowa 's caucusgoers might align and how new rules may play out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largely comprised of Ethiopian immigrants who work at JBS Pork in Ottumwa .
Chris Laursen , president of UAW Local 7 , observed the caucus as a Sanders supporter .
He said the Sanders campaign had been canvassing outside of JBS during shift change between midnight and 2 a.m. '' The Bernie campaign was actively sitting outside trying to talk to people as they were coming in and out of work late at night , '' he said .
`` That ’ s what ’ s special about Bernie ’ s campaign .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s a movement .
Bernie literally has an army . ''
Wendwosen Bekele , a 43-year-old Ottumwa resident who came to the United States from Ethiopia , said he supports Sanders because he 's focused on lifting up the lower and middle classes , rather than supporting the wealthy .
He said he 's supported him since the 2016 election .
Sanders , he said , `` supports us in the middle , '' he said .
Wapello County is among the 31 Iowa counties that voted twice for Democrat Barack @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump in 2016 .
Simonson said that more broadly across the county he expects labor groups to back Sanders .
But he said Warren 's organization was the `` best and quickest organized . ''
He said Buttigieg 's campaign has `` done a great job of organizing behind the key demographics that he ’ s done well with across the state '' — some of the wealthier areas where residents are more likely to have a college degree .
Though the Iowa Democratic Party had experimented with satellite caucuses in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far grander scale this year to help accommodate a desire to make the caucuses more accessible and inclusive .
“ The people who work second shift and don ’ t have permission from their employers to leave their place of work to go and caucus can be part of the democratic process , '' said Frank Flanders , a 53-year-old Ottumwa resident who petitioned the party to host the off-hours caucus .
`` I believe it is a form of voter suppression to not make the democratic process available to everyone no matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such caucus sites are being held across the world , according to the Iowa Democratic Party .
Sixty are in Iowa , 24 are in other states and Washington , D.C. , and three others are internationally located .
They included 14 workplace-related sites , 24 sites on college campuses , 29 sites designed to accommodate accessibility needs , 11 that accommodate language and culture needs and nine sites for Iowans who spend the winters out of state .
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register .
Reach her at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her on Twitter at @ brianneDMR .

Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register

2020 Iowa caucus: The 'first of the first' caucus site kicks off a high-stakes day
Show Caption Hide Caption Iowa caucus: Just how much influence does it have on the primary? The Iowa caucus is sure to be competitive this year. But what makes caucuses different from primaries? Just the FAQs
OTTUMWA, Ia. — The Iowa caucuses have officially begun, with Democrats in southeastern Iowa declaring their preferences and kicking off a day that will help determine the fates of the seven presidential hopefuls who have staked everything on this state.
The Ottumwa satellite precinct caucus — which kicked off at noon at the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 230 union hall — was the first of roughly 1,700 caucus locations in Iowa to meet Monday.
At those locations across Iowa, the country and the world, Democrats will get the first take on what voters think about the field of presidential contenders. Before the vast majority of the country gets to weigh in, Iowans will already have made their mark.
More: What is a delegate equivalent? Or a viability threshold? The Iowa caucuses, explained.
"This is the very first satellite caucus to take place in the United States, which also means that this is the very first — and you all are the very first people — in the country to cast ballots in the presidential election," Zach Simonson, the chairman of the Wapello County Democratic Party, told attendees. "You’re the first of the first. It’s a phenomenal opportunity that we have to throw the spotlight onto what we’re going to do as Democrats in order to defeat Donald Trump, in order to bring about a progressive agenda and to elect Democrats at all levels.”
We’re here at the Ottumwa satellite precinct, which is the first Iowa precinct to caucus today. They’ll kick off at noon. So far there is a group of Ethiopian immigrants here who work at the local pork processing plant in the evenings. They like Bernie Sanders. pic.twitter.com/ouAZtYJ4WI — Brianne Pfannenstiel (@brianneDMR) February 3, 2020
Though nearly all of Iowa's precincts will convene their caucuses at 7 p.m. CDT, local Democrats petitioned the Iowa Democratic Party to host this so-called satellite location earlier in the day. It's designed to accommodate those who work the second shift at the local pork processing plant and during the evenings at other service industry jobs when the caucuses are traditionally held.
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont won the precinct's first alignment, with 14 of the precinct's 15 people. One person caucused for U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Warren's supporter said she did not wish to caucus for Sanders on the second alignment.
The Iowa Democratic Party will award delegates from the satellite caucus locations based on their final turnout later in the evening. The ultimate winner of Iowa's caucuses will be based on those delegate numbers.
Live updates: The Iowa caucuses are here. Follow along for coverage from across Iowa, and the world
The Ottumwa results may not ultimately reflect Democrats' choices statewide, and they represent the smallest slice of the Iowa caucus electorate. But with Democrats across the state and the country are eager for a final verdict, they offer the earliest insight into how Iowa's caucusgoers might align and how new rules may play out through the evening.
The group was largely comprised of Ethiopian immigrants who work at JBS Pork in Ottumwa. Chris Laursen, president of UAW Local 7, observed the caucus as a Sanders supporter. He said the Sanders campaign had been canvassing outside of JBS during shift change between midnight and 2 a.m.
"The Bernie campaign was actively sitting outside trying to talk to people as they were coming in and out of work late at night," he said. "That’s what’s special about Bernie’s campaign. It’s not a campaign, it’s a movement. Bernie literally has an army."
Wendwosen Bekele, a 43-year-old Ottumwa resident who came to the United States from Ethiopia, said he supports Sanders because he's focused on lifting up the lower and middle classes, rather than supporting the wealthy. He said he's supported him since the 2016 election.
Sanders, he said, "supports us in the middle," he said.
Wapello County is among the 31 Iowa counties that voted twice for Democrat Barack Obama before swinging in favor of Republican Donald Trump in 2016.
Simonson said that more broadly across the county he expects labor groups to back Sanders. But he said Warren's organization was the "best and quickest organized." He said Buttigieg's campaign has "done a great job of organizing behind the key demographics that he’s done well with across the state" — some of the wealthier areas where residents are more likely to have a college degree.
Though the Iowa Democratic Party had experimented with satellite caucuses in the past, they were introduced on a far grander scale this year to help accommodate a desire to make the caucuses more accessible and inclusive.
“The people who work second shift and don’t have permission from their employers to leave their place of work to go and caucus can be part of the democratic process," said Frank Flanders, a 53-year-old Ottumwa resident who petitioned the party to host the off-hours caucus. "I believe it is a form of voter suppression to not make the democratic process available to everyone no matter what shift they work."
Eighty-seven such caucus sites are being held across the world, according to the Iowa Democratic Party. Sixty are in Iowa, 24 are in other states and Washington, D.C., and three others are internationally located.
They included 14 workplace-related sites, 24 sites on college campuses, 29 sites designed to accommodate accessibility needs, 11 that accommodate language and culture needs and nine sites for Iowans who spend the winters out of state.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.


usatoday--2020-02-03--Sanders, Warren, Klobuchar and Bennet stuck at impeachment trial on Iowa Caucus Day

On Iowa Caucus Day , impeachment trial keeps four candidates away President Trump 's impeachment trial is keeping four presidential @ @ @ @ @ Caucus Day .

On Iowa Caucus Day, impeachment trial keeps four candidates away
President Trump's impeachment trial is keeping four presidential candidates in Washington on Iowa Caucus Day.
USA TODAY


usatoday--2020-02-03--10 questions that will be answered by the Iowa caucuses

DES MOINES , Iowa – For more than a year , the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign has played out like a long , complicated novel with characters developing , conflicts arising and questions building about how the climax will finally play out .
Although Iowa ’ s caucuses are likely to raise as many questions as they answer , there will finally be a sense of resolution as the last chapter of the 2020 Iowa caucus cycle comes to a close Monday night .
Here 's a look at what we 'll learn once the results are tallied .
1.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ The 2020 caucus campaign has been defined by the historically large and diverse field of candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination – a field that , at its peak , boasted 24 candidates .
Iowans have been inundated with their overtures .
According to data from the Des Moines Register , campaigns have held roughly 2,500 campaign events since the start of the 2020 cycle when they first began visiting the state .
Four of those candidates have consistently led in polling : former Vice President Joe Biden ; former South Bend , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont ; and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts .
Still , the polling numbers have been volatile .
Each of those candidates has , at one point , led the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll .
And with only days to go , no clear frontrunner has emerged .
Local Democratic activists and strategists say they feel the race could still go any way .
`` For a long time I felt like I had a sense ( of who would win ) , '' said Nora Walsh-DeVries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' political director and is now unaligned .
`` But just seeing the fluctuation in polling and just anecdotally having been a staffer , knowing other staffers , knowing the different organizations the various campaigns have – I think it 's really , really hard to tell still . ''
2 .
What will 'winning ' the Iowa caucuses look like ?
New rules introduced for the first time this year will complicate the idea of `` winning . ''
For decades , the winner of Iowa ’ s caucuses has been decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equivalents , which operates kind of like the Electoral College .
But unlike the November presidential vote , Iowa ’ s tally of popular support was never released .
More : Could multiple candidates 'win ' the Democratic caucuses ?
New rules make it possible .
On Monday , the Iowa Democratic Party will publish the raw vote totals from each precinct showing how many people supported each candidate on the first and final alignments .
The Associated Press will declare the winner based on the delegate equivalents .
But the new metrics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results in a multitude of new ways , potentially hijacking the media narrative and claiming momentum out of Iowa .
Iowa 's caucuses and the complicated system of delegates were set up , in part , to encourage candidates to campaign statewide .
The number of available delegates is capped in each precinct , forcing campaigns to compete beyond the state 's most populous counties .
Candidates have paid outsized attention to Polk County , which includes Des Moines , and Linn County , which includes Cedar Rapids , because they have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do well there to win the delegate math , strategists say .
But they also ca n't lose too badly in rural areas .
`` At the end of the day , candidates can try to appeal to a vast cohort of voters or different demographics , but it really is a numbers game , '' Walsh-DeVries said .
More : What to watch for in three crucial counties during the Iowa caucuses Iowa Democrats have stressed the need to shore up their support in more rural corners of the state after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governor 's race .
A candidate who does n't win overall but who overperforms in rural Iowa could have a compelling story to tell , she said .
The candidates have worked to tell that story .
While they have had more events in Iowa 's capital city than elsewhere , they 've also branched out across the state to woo voters .
4 .
How many 'tickets ' will there be out of Iowa ?
Iowa doesn ’ t always crown winners , but it always narrows the field of contenders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the rule has almost always proven true that there are “ three tickets ” out of Iowa .
With the exception of John McCain in 2008 , no candidate who finished worse than third in a competitive caucus has ever gone on to win their party ’ s nomination .
But with a historically large field of Democratic contenders , will that rule still hold true ?
The field of Democratic presidential candidates has already winnowed dramatically since it began more than a year ago from two dozen candidates to 11 – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iowa ( U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii ) and two more who never focused on Iowa to begin with ( former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Massachusetts Gov .
Deval Patrick ) .
That leaves seven candidates who have staked their hopes on a successful showing : Biden , Buttigieg , U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota , Sanders , Tom Steyer , Warren and Andrew Yang .
If there are five tickets out of the state , it potentially leaves Steyer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue funding a campaign operation ahead of the New Hampshire primary .
Steyer has his own personal wealth to fall back on , and Yang has converted a devoted following into a sizeable fundraising operation .
Some of those candidates ’ fates will be determined after Iowa .
Buttigieg , who has struggled more than his competitors to gain the support of black voters , is among them .
He will be tested more fully in South Carolina , where there is a larger base of black voters , Democratic activist Sue Dvorsky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is not about Iowa .
It ’ s not about New Hampshire , ” she said .
“ I don ’ t think there ’ s going to be a lot of surprise for Pete ( on caucus ) night .
I think it ’ s a little bit of ‘ do no harm.
’ He ’ s going to do well .
If he doesn ’ t , that will be a story .
But I don ’ t see that happening.
” And Bloomberg , who has funneled hundreds of millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be waiting to jump into the race on Super Tuesday .
5 .
Is the ground game still king ?
Iowa ’ s caucus system has long favored well-organized campaigns that prioritize grass-roots activism .
Since the earliest days of the 2020 campaign , Warren has been the consensus choice among Iowa activists for “ best organized.
” But her poll numbers have slipped from their high point in September when she led the field .
Some Democrats say they expect Warren to outperform her poll numbers on caucus night because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to find out the benefits and the advantage and all the things about really terrific field organizing , ” said Dvorsky .
“ Is it what we think it is here in Iowa ?
” Dvorsky previously endorsed Harris , who dropped out of the race in November .
Dvorsky recently backed Warren , citing the strength of her ground game .
Though Warren built up a sizable field team well ahead of her competitors , others filled out their staff in the fall and opened up offices across the state .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have competitive operations .
Review the campaign:14 moments that shaped the 2020 Iowa caucuses Sanders ’ staffers and volunteers have been less visible at party functions and events than other campaigns , and Iowa activists say that under-the-radar presence has made it hard to assess the strength of his ground game .
But the fervency of his supporters will certainly play to his advantage .
“ Bernie Sanders has always been something of an enigma , ” Dvorsky said .
“ We have always wondered … what is Bernie Sanders ’ actual base @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate it from the tens of thousands who apparently voted for him in 2016 because he wasn ’ t ( Hillary Clinton ) ?
” With four candidates seemingly locked in a tight race , Iowa Democrats are looking to Klobuchar as the possible dark horse candidate to emerge from caucus night .
If she breaks into the top four or gives a strong enough fifth-place finish , it could be enough to vault her into New Hampshire .
`` I think she ’ ll do well in the 4th District .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scholten , a Sioux City Democrat who is running for Congress in Iowa ’ s conservative 4th congressional district .
`` I think that ’ s a huge thing . ''
Klobuchar gave a string of well-received debate performances , is one of only two candidates to pull off a 99-county tour of the state and she 's had a small but steady increase in her polling numbers here .
In past years , candidates like Klobuchar might register no support at the end of the night if they failed to hit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's new reporting rules , which will show candidates ' raw support on the first and second alignments , could come to her benefit .
That rule also stands to benefit entrepreneur Andrew Yang and businessman Tom Steyer , who register some support in polling but so far not enough to break through the viability mark .
More : Presidential campaigns may seek alliances for caucus night , but no one is making deals 7 .
What does 'electability ' look like ?
Biden has stressed his own electability from the earliest days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best suited to take on Republican President Donald Trump in a general election because he can win over independents and disaffected Republicans .
In Iowa , he 's earned endorsements from nearly every major elected leader , including U.S. Reps. Abby Finkenauer and Cindy Axne , who are up for reelection in 2020 ; Tom Miller , who is the nation 's longest-serving attorney general ; and past governors Tom Vilsack and Chet Culver .
But although Biden entered the race a looming figure , he 's consistently slipped in the Register 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are making the electability argument were to surpass him by a meaningful margin on caucus night , it could change the way other primary voters think about the concept of electability .
8 .
Will the satellite caucuses be successful ?
Democrats had worked for months to enact virtual caucuses that would allow Iowans to participate over the phone or online .
It was part of a mandate by the Democratic National Committee that caucus states find a way to allow people to participate without being physically present .
But the DNC derailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cybersecurity .
Instead , Iowa Democrats offered up “ satellite ” caucuses at dozens of locations outside of the typical caucus precinct structure .
Those sites stretch across Iowa , the country and even , with a few international locations , the world .
A handful also begin earlier or later than the typical 7 p.m. caucus start in Iowa .
Although they will allow Democrats to participate in the caucuses in new ways , they do not meet the DNC ’ s original mandate .
Meanwhile , pressure continues to mount for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its caucus participation in the face of criticism over inclusion and diversity .
If the satellite caucuses don ’ t go far enough to expand participation , it could strengthen the case to end caucuses and move states toward primaries .
`` When I think of accessibility , I think of trying to cater to underrepresented communities , '' said Walsh-DeVries .
`` An interesting thing that might play out after the caucus is thinking critically about did the satellite caucuses make this caucus more accessible to those groups of people , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to people who spend their winters outside of Iowa .
There might be some overlap , but probably not much . ''
More : Iowa caucuses : How to find your caucus site , register and be informed about the candidate you want to support 9 .
Will the new rules streamline caucus night or create new hiccups ?
In addition to the new rules about releasing results , Iowa has implemented changes to streamline the caucus night process .
The party encouraged advance check-in , rented larger spaces to accommodate but made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democrats could realign multiple times throughout the night .
On Monday , they ’ ll cast their first preference – and if that group meets the 15 % viability threshold , they ’ ll be locked into that preference group , unable to realign .
There will be just one realignment period in which those who support nonviable candidates can either move to a viable group or try to recruit people into their group to become viable .
But it could also cause hiccups .
Typically , Iowans can choose to align as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But now , if that group is viable , they ’ ll be locked into that choice .
Precinct leaders and activists across the state say they ’ re trying to prevent people from accidentally becoming locked in as “ uncommitted.
” 10 .
Will Iowa keep its caucuses and stay first ?
It 's not a question that will be answered definitively on caucus night .
But what happens on Monday will set the stage for the inevitable conversation that comes next : Should Iowans continue to caucus , and should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have fretted for months that a messy or chaotic night could threaten the future of Iowa 's first-in-the-nation caucuses .
And there are myriad new ways things could spiral out of control this year .
More : Should the Iowa caucuses be first ?
Well … it 's complicated .
'We are being tested , ' one Latino leader says .
The party is using a new cell phone app that will allow local precincts to report their results .
It raises typical technological questions – will the app work as designed ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ around hacking .
The Democratic National Committee is deploying security staff to work with the state party to assist with any caucus problems , should they arise .
The introduction of new reporting metrics also could give rise to confusion around the winner and how the media report the results .
Others worry that if Iowa chooses a candidate who is unable to gain support in more diverse states it will reflect poorly on the state , which is 90 % white .
`` I think that 's something that has been talked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' said Walsh-DeVries .
`` I think that whatever happens – whoever our nominee is , whoever wins Iowa , wins the delegates , wins the raw vote – because of how much of a conversation it ’ s become , there will be more scrutiny and more attention paid to all of these components . ''
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register .
Reach her at bpfann @ dmreg.com or 515-284-8244 .
Follow her on Twitter at @ brianneDMR .

10 questions that will be answered by the Iowa caucuses
Show Caption Hide Caption Difference between caucus and primary, explained The 2020 election is nearing and with that, comes the caucuses and primary elections. But what’s the difference? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
DES MOINES, Iowa – For more than a year, the 2020 Democratic presidential campaign has played out like a long, complicated novel with characters developing, conflicts arising and questions building about how the climax will finally play out.
Although Iowa’s caucuses are likely to raise as many questions as they answer, there will finally be a sense of resolution as the last chapter of the 2020 Iowa caucus cycle comes to a close Monday night.
Here's a look at what we'll learn once the results are tallied.
1. Who will win the Iowa caucuses?
The 2020 caucus campaign has been defined by the historically large and diverse field of candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination – a field that, at its peak, boasted 24 candidates.
Iowans have been inundated with their overtures. According to data from the Des Moines Register, campaigns have held roughly 2,500 campaign events since the start of the 2020 cycle when they first began visiting the state.
Four of those candidates have consistently led in polling: former Vice President Joe Biden; former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont; and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Still, the polling numbers have been volatile. Each of those candidates has, at one point, led the Des Moines Register/CNN/Mediacom Iowa Poll. And with only days to go, no clear frontrunner has emerged. Local Democratic activists and strategists say they feel the race could still go any way.
"For a long time I felt like I had a sense (of who would win)," said Nora Walsh-DeVries, who was U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris' political director and is now unaligned. "But just seeing the fluctuation in polling and just anecdotally having been a staffer, knowing other staffers, knowing the different organizations the various campaigns have – I think it's really, really hard to tell still."
2. What will 'winning' the Iowa caucuses look like?
New rules introduced for the first time this year will complicate the idea of "winning."
For decades, the winner of Iowa’s caucuses has been decided by a complicated system of state delegate equivalents, which operates kind of like the Electoral College. But unlike the November presidential vote, Iowa’s tally of popular support was never released.
More: Could multiple candidates 'win' the Democratic caucuses? New rules make it possible.
On Monday, the Iowa Democratic Party will publish the raw vote totals from each precinct showing how many people supported each candidate on the first and final alignments.
The Associated Press will declare the winner based on the delegate equivalents. But the new metrics will allow the campaigns to spin the results in a multitude of new ways, potentially hijacking the media narrative and claiming momentum out of Iowa.
Iowa caucus results: Follow live Iowa caucus results on Monday
3. Where will candidates win?
Iowa's caucuses and the complicated system of delegates were set up, in part, to encourage candidates to campaign statewide. The number of available delegates is capped in each precinct, forcing campaigns to compete beyond the state's most populous counties.
Candidates have paid outsized attention to Polk County, which includes Des Moines, and Linn County, which includes Cedar Rapids, because they have the most available delegates. And candidates need to do well there to win the delegate math, strategists say. But they also can't lose too badly in rural areas.
"At the end of the day, candidates can try to appeal to a vast cohort of voters or different demographics, but it really is a numbers game," Walsh-DeVries said.
More: What to watch for in three crucial counties during the Iowa caucuses
Iowa Democrats have stressed the need to shore up their support in more rural corners of the state after losses in 2016 and in the 2018 governor's race. A candidate who doesn't win overall but who overperforms in rural Iowa could have a compelling story to tell, she said.
The candidates have worked to tell that story. While they have had more events in Iowa's capital city than elsewhere, they've also branched out across the state to woo voters.
4. How many 'tickets' will there be out of Iowa?
Iowa doesn’t always crown winners, but it always narrows the field of contenders. No matter how many candidates come in, the rule has almost always proven true that there are “three tickets” out of Iowa. With the exception of John McCain in 2008, no candidate who finished worse than third in a competitive caucus has ever gone on to win their party’s nomination.
But with a historically large field of Democratic contenders, will that rule still hold true?
The field of Democratic presidential candidates has already winnowed dramatically since it began more than a year ago from two dozen candidates to 11 – two of whom have abandoned campaigning in Iowa (U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado and U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii) and two more who never focused on Iowa to begin with (former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick).
That leaves seven candidates who have staked their hopes on a successful showing: Biden, Buttigieg, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Sanders, Tom Steyer, Warren and Andrew Yang.
If there are five tickets out of the state, it potentially leaves Steyer and Yang to assess whether they can continue funding a campaign operation ahead of the New Hampshire primary. Steyer has his own personal wealth to fall back on, and Yang has converted a devoted following into a sizeable fundraising operation.
Some of those candidates’ fates will be determined after Iowa. Buttigieg, who has struggled more than his competitors to gain the support of black voters, is among them. He will be tested more fully in South Carolina, where there is a larger base of black voters, Democratic activist Sue Dvorsky said.
“Pete’s question is not about Iowa. It’s not about New Hampshire,” she said. “I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of surprise for Pete (on caucus) night. I think it’s a little bit of ‘do no harm.’ He’s going to do well. If he doesn’t, that will be a story. But I don’t see that happening.”
And Bloomberg, who has funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into the race already, will be waiting to jump into the race on Super Tuesday.
5. Is the ground game still king?
Iowa’s caucus system has long favored well-organized campaigns that prioritize grass-roots activism. Since the earliest days of the 2020 campaign, Warren has been the consensus choice among Iowa activists for “best organized.”
But her poll numbers have slipped from their high point in September when she led the field. Some Democrats say they expect Warren to outperform her poll numbers on caucus night because of that organization.
“We’re going to find out the benefits and the advantage and all the things about really terrific field organizing,” said Dvorsky. “Is it what we think it is here in Iowa?”
Dvorsky previously endorsed Harris, who dropped out of the race in November. Dvorsky recently backed Warren, citing the strength of her ground game.
Though Warren built up a sizable field team well ahead of her competitors, others filled out their staff in the fall and opened up offices across the state. Sanders and Buttigieg are expected to also have competitive operations.
Review the campaign: 14 moments that shaped the 2020 Iowa caucuses
Sanders’ staffers and volunteers have been less visible at party functions and events than other campaigns, and Iowa activists say that under-the-radar presence has made it hard to assess the strength of his ground game. But the fervency of his supporters will certainly play to his advantage.
“Bernie Sanders has always been something of an enigma,” Dvorsky said. “We have always wondered … what is Bernie Sanders’ actual base? What is his base when you separate it from the tens of thousands who apparently voted for him in 2016 because he wasn’t (Hillary Clinton)?”
6. Is ‘Klomentum’ real?
With four candidates seemingly locked in a tight race, Iowa Democrats are looking to Klobuchar as the possible dark horse candidate to emerge from caucus night. If she breaks into the top four or gives a strong enough fifth-place finish, it could be enough to vault her into New Hampshire.
"I think she’ll do well in the 4th District. But how well?" said J.D. Scholten, a Sioux City Democrat who is running for Congress in Iowa’s conservative 4th congressional district. "I think that’s a huge thing."
Klobuchar gave a string of well-received debate performances, is one of only two candidates to pull off a 99-county tour of the state and she's had a small but steady increase in her polling numbers here.
In past years, candidates like Klobuchar might register no support at the end of the night if they failed to hit the 15% viability threshold. But Iowa's new reporting rules, which will show candidates' raw support on the first and second alignments, could come to her benefit.
That rule also stands to benefit entrepreneur Andrew Yang and businessman Tom Steyer, who register some support in polling but so far not enough to break through the viability mark.
More: Presidential campaigns may seek alliances for caucus night, but no one is making deals
7. What does 'electability' look like?
Biden has stressed his own electability from the earliest days of the campaign, arguing he is best suited to take on Republican President Donald Trump in a general election because he can win over independents and disaffected Republicans.
In Iowa, he's earned endorsements from nearly every major elected leader, including U.S. Reps. Abby Finkenauer and Cindy Axne, who are up for reelection in 2020; Tom Miller, who is the nation's longest-serving attorney general; and past governors Tom Vilsack and Chet Culver.
But although Biden entered the race a looming figure, he's consistently slipped in the Register's polling. If other candidates who also are making the electability argument were to surpass him by a meaningful margin on caucus night, it could change the way other primary voters think about the concept of electability.
8. Will the satellite caucuses be successful?
Democrats had worked for months to enact virtual caucuses that would allow Iowans to participate over the phone or online. It was part of a mandate by the Democratic National Committee that caucus states find a way to allow people to participate without being physically present. But the DNC derailed those plans because of lingering concerns over cybersecurity.
Instead, Iowa Democrats offered up “satellite” caucuses at dozens of locations outside of the typical caucus precinct structure. Those sites stretch across Iowa, the country and even, with a few international locations, the world. A handful also begin earlier or later than the typical 7 p.m. caucus start in Iowa.
Although they will allow Democrats to participate in the caucuses in new ways, they do not meet the DNC’s original mandate. Meanwhile, pressure continues to mount for Iowa to show it can meaningfully expand its caucus participation in the face of criticism over inclusion and diversity.
If the satellite caucuses don’t go far enough to expand participation, it could strengthen the case to end caucuses and move states toward primaries.
"When I think of accessibility, I think of trying to cater to underrepresented communities," said Walsh-DeVries. "An interesting thing that might play out after the caucus is thinking critically about did the satellite caucuses make this caucus more accessible to those groups of people, or did it potentially make it more accessible to people who spend their winters outside of Iowa. There might be some overlap, but probably not much."
More: Iowa caucuses: How to find your caucus site, register and be informed about the candidate you want to support
9. Will the new rules streamline caucus night or create new hiccups?
In addition to the new rules about releasing results, Iowa has implemented changes to streamline the caucus night process. The party encouraged advance check-in, rented larger spaces to accommodate but made other sweeping changes.
Previously, Iowa Democrats could realign multiple times throughout the night. On Monday, they’ll cast their first preference – and if that group meets the 15% viability threshold, they’ll be locked into that preference group, unable to realign.
There will be just one realignment period in which those who support nonviable candidates can either move to a viable group or try to recruit people into their group to become viable.
But it could also cause hiccups. Typically, Iowans can choose to align as “uncommitted” in the first alignment. But now, if that group is viable, they’ll be locked into that choice. Precinct leaders and activists across the state say they’re trying to prevent people from accidentally becoming locked in as “uncommitted.”
Iowa caucuses: A look back at the history of the Iowa caucuses The Iowa caucuses are not first because they're important; they're important because they're first. former Des Moines Register opinion editor Kathie Obradovich explains. Kelsey Kremer, Des Moines Register
10. Will Iowa keep its caucuses and stay first?
It's not a question that will be answered definitively on caucus night. But what happens on Monday will set the stage for the inevitable conversation that comes next: Should Iowans continue to caucus, and should they do it first?
Iowa Democrats have fretted for months that a messy or chaotic night could threaten the future of Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucuses. And there are myriad new ways things could spiral out of control this year.
More: Should the Iowa caucuses be first? Well … it's complicated. 'We are being tested,' one Latino leader says.
The party is using a new cell phone app that will allow local precincts to report their results. It raises typical technological questions – will the app work as designed? – as well as bigger cybersecurity issues around hacking. The Democratic National Committee is deploying security staff to work with the state party to assist with any caucus problems, should they arise.
The introduction of new reporting metrics also could give rise to confusion around the winner and how the media report the results.
Others worry that if Iowa chooses a candidate who is unable to gain support in more diverse states it will reflect poorly on the state, which is 90% white.
"I think that's something that has been talked about more this cycle than ever before," said Walsh-DeVries. "I think that whatever happens – whoever our nominee is, whoever wins Iowa, wins the delegates, wins the raw vote – because of how much of a conversation it’s become, there will be more scrutiny and more attention paid to all of these components."
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Register. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on Twitter at @brianneDMR.


usatoday--2020-02-03--Bernie Sanders draws 3,000 with Vampire Weekend as Caucus Day approaches

CEDAR RAPIDS , Ia .
— In the closing days of the Iowa caucus race , U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders turned his back on the crowd .
Otherwise , he couldn ’ t get a photograph with himself and all 3,000 assembled people in it .
Sanders was surrounded by some of his highest profile surrogates , as a campaign photographer counted down the shot for the crowd in the background , and band Vampire Weekend waited to play for the crowd .
Sanders spoke for about 30 minutes , after people including Dr. Cornel West , U.S. Reps Ilhan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced him .
Sanders didn ’ t deviate much from a campaign speech he ’ s delivered dozens of times this caucus cycle — pledging universal health care , the most comprehensive climate change plan , a rejection of President Donald Trump ’ s agenda , and more .
But he pointed to a bank of media in the back to highlight the moment , 48 hours from when Iowans will gather in precincts all over the state for the first-in-the-nation nominating contest .
The bank of TV cameras weren ’ t just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States , Sanders said , but all over the world .
“ The whole world is asking if the people of Iowa are prepared to stand up and fight for justice , ” he said .
“ All over the world , people are watching to see if the people in Iowa are prepared to help create a government and an economy that will work for all of us , and not just the 1 % .
” Sanders continued , “ We are taking on Wall Street , and the insurance companies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fossil fuel industry ... ” he said , as the crowd ’ s cheers nearly drowned him out over the concert PA as they erupted into a “ Ber-nie ” chant .
Earlier in the day , his campaign announced it hit its goal of knocking on 500,000 doors in Iowa in the month of January , hoping to fuel an unprecedented turnout on Monday .
As he repeated from the campaign trail on Saturday , his victory here depends on turnout .
Abbi Cobb , 24 , of North Liberty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been to more than a dozen of Sanders ’ events between his two presidential campaigns .
She almost didn ’ t come to the one Saturday night , feeling like she has seen enough and was already secure in her support of Sanders .
But being around 3,000 fellow supporters — and being “ star struck ” by Omar , and hearing from Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker — felt like a boost .
“ I ’ m very happy I did come out tonight , ” she said .
“ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excited , but I just feel ( it ) a little more.
” While Vampire Weekend played their set , Sanders supporters waved signs reading Sanders ’ campaign slogan — `` not me , us , '' — behind the band , and people in Bernie 2020 shirts danced in their chairs and the floor .
After they wrapped up their song “ Unbelievers , ” frontman Ezra Koenig noted the irony of one of the lyrics .
“ That song says , ‘ I ’ m not excited , ’ but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ How are you all feeling about Monday ?
” Nick Coltrain is a politics and data reporter for the Register .
Reach him at ncoltrain @ registermedia.com or at 515-284-8361 .

Bernie Sanders draws 3,000 with Vampire Weekend as Caucus Day approaches
CEDAR RAPIDS, Ia. — In the closing days of the Iowa caucus race, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders turned his back on the crowd. Otherwise, he couldn’t get a photograph with himself and all 3,000 assembled people in it.
Sanders was surrounded by some of his highest profile surrogates, as a campaign photographer counted down the shot for the crowd in the background, and band Vampire Weekend waited to play for the crowd.
Sanders spoke for about 30 minutes, after people including Dr. Cornel West, U.S. Reps Ilhan Omar, Pramila Jayapal and Mark Pocan introduced him. Sanders didn’t deviate much from a campaign speech he’s delivered dozens of times this caucus cycle — pledging universal health care, the most comprehensive climate change plan, a rejection of President Donald Trump’s agenda, and more.
But he pointed to a bank of media in the back to highlight the moment, 48 hours from when Iowans will gather in precincts all over the state for the first-in-the-nation nominating contest. The bank of TV cameras weren’t just from Iowa, or just the United States, Sanders said, but all over the world.
“The whole world is asking if the people of Iowa are prepared to stand up and fight for justice,” he said. “All over the world, people are watching to see if the people in Iowa are prepared to help create a government and an economy that will work for all of us, and not just the 1%.”
Sanders continued, “We are taking on Wall Street, and the insurance companies, and the drug companies, and the fossil fuel industry ...” he said, as the crowd’s cheers nearly drowned him out over the concert PA as they erupted into a “Ber-nie” chant.
Earlier in the day, his campaign announced it hit its goal of knocking on 500,000 doors in Iowa in the month of January, hoping to fuel an unprecedented turnout on Monday. As he repeated from the campaign trail on Saturday, his victory here depends on turnout.
Abbi Cobb, 24, of North Liberty, has supported Sanders since 2015 and has been to more than a dozen of Sanders’ events between his two presidential campaigns. She almost didn’t come to the one Saturday night, feeling like she has seen enough and was already secure in her support of Sanders. But being around 3,000 fellow supporters — and being “star struck” by Omar, and hearing from Linn County Supervisor Stacey Walker — felt like a boost.
“I’m very happy I did come out tonight,” she said. “It’s not that I wasn’t excited, but I just feel (it) a little more.”
While Vampire Weekend played their set, Sanders supporters waved signs reading Sanders’ campaign slogan — "not me, us," — behind the band, and people in Bernie 2020 shirts danced in their chairs and the floor.
After they wrapped up their song “Unbelievers,” frontman Ezra Koenig noted the irony of one of the lyrics.
“That song says, ‘I’m not excited,’ but I’m pretty excited,” he said. “How are you all feeling about Monday?”
And the audience roared.
Nick Coltrain is a politics and data reporter for the Register. Reach him at ncoltrain@registermedia.com or at 515-284-8361.


usatoday--2020-02-03--Voters who 'strongly' approve of Trump at new high as impeachment nears end, poll finds

Though a majority of voters say President Donald Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress , they oppose removing him from office for those acts by a narrow margin , according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll .
And the impeachment process does not appear to have greatly swayed voters ' opinions of the president .
Overall , 46 % said they approved of the job Trump was doing and 51 % disapproved .
Those numbers were consistent with previous NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls .
`` We ’ ve been through an impeachment inquiry in the House , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ America ’ s attitudes about Donald Trump have hardly budged , '' said Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt , who conducted the poll along with Republican Bill McInturff , according to NBC News .
But the impeachment process may have helped intensify Trump 's level of support .
Thirty-six percent said they `` strongly '' approved of his performance , the highest number in the poll since he took office .
And 33 % said they had `` very positive '' feelings about Trump , which was also a new high .
McInturff said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' in three years .
`` Even as support for impeachment is steady/increasing , Trump 's approval rating is up to some of its highest levels of his presidency , '' said Nate Silver , the editor-in-chief of polling site FiveThirtyEight .
The poll was conducted from Jan. 26-29 with 1,000 registered voters .
The margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points .
Trump was impeached on articles of impeachment for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over allegations he leveraged military aid to pressure Ukraine into opening investigations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including one involving former Vice President Joe Biden .
The Senate trial is scheduled to wrap up this week and is expected to acquit Trump in a vote on Wednesday .
Fifty-two percent of registered voters agreed with the statement that Trump , `` abused his power as president by asking a foreign government to investigate a political opponent to influence the upcoming presidential election to his advantage . ''
Forty-one percent said they did not believe that to be the case .
When asked if they thought Trump obstructed Congress by not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % said they believed he had and 37 % said he had not .
But 48 % said the Senate should not vote to remove Trump from office , while 46 % said it should .
At the end of October , while the impeachment inquiry was underway , 49 % said they favored removing Trump from office while 46 % were opposed .
Several Republican senators have expressed sentiments similar to the voters .
They say while Trump may have acted inappropriately , his acts did not rise to the level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have done it ' : GOP senator who scolded Trump on Ukraine explains why he backs acquittal Sen. Lamar Alexander , R-Tenn. , said Sunday on NBC News ' `` Meet the Press '' that he believed Trump asked Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and delayed military aid `` to encourage that investigation , '' but he plans to vote to acquit the president .
`` I think it was wrong , '' Alexander said of Trump 's alleged acts , adding he thought Trump should have gone to the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden .
But he said , `` I do n't think it 's the kind of inappropriate action that the framers would expect the Senate to substitute its judgment for the people in picking a president . ''
Sen. Joni Ernst , R-Iowa , said on CNN 's `` State of the Union '' that Trump had legitimate concerns about corruption but `` did it maybe in the wrong manner '' and `` should have gone to the DOJ . ''
But she says she will vote to acquit because , `` whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or not , '' it did not warrant removing him from office .
Democrats have denounced the trial as unfair because the Republican-controlled Senate voted against issuing subpoenas for additional witnesses and documents .
Thirty-nine percent of voters said the Senate already has enough testimony and evidence to make its decision , while 37 % said it needs more information .
Another 22 % said they did not know enough to give an opinion .
In the poll , Trump trailed the leading Democratic presidential candidates in hypothetical matchups , but he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them from an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll taken in July .
For example , Biden beat Trump 50 % -44 % in the recent poll , but in July , Biden was up 51 % -42 % .
In the race for the Democratic nomination , the poll found Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont ahead of Biden by one percentage point , 27 % -26 % , followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts at 15 % , former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at 9 % , former South Bend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 7 % , Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota at 5 % and entrepreneur Andrew Yang at 4 % .
The other candidates were at 2 % or less support .
Voters in Iowa are gearing up to cast the first ballots in the contest in caucuses on Monday .
The 2020 candidates : Who is running for president ?
An interactive guide More : How do the Iowa caucuses work and how they are different than a primary ?

Voters who 'strongly' approve of Trump at new high as impeachment nears end, poll finds
Show Caption Hide Caption Impeachment trial expected to end after State of the Union The Senate is expected to begin closing arguments in President Donald Trump's impeachment trial on Monday. USA TODAY, Associated Press
Though a majority of voters say President Donald Trump abused his power and obstructed Congress, they oppose removing him from office for those acts by a narrow margin, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.
And the impeachment process does not appear to have greatly swayed voters' opinions of the president. Overall, 46% said they approved of the job Trump was doing and 51% disapproved. Those numbers were consistent with previous NBC News/Wall Street Journal polls.
"We’ve been through an impeachment inquiry in the House, a trial in the Senate, and America’s attitudes about Donald Trump have hardly budged," said Democratic pollster Jeff Horwitt, who conducted the poll along with Republican Bill McInturff, according to NBC News.
But the impeachment process may have helped intensify Trump's level of support. Thirty-six percent said they "strongly" approved of his performance, the highest number in the poll since he took office. And 33% said they had "very positive" feelings about Trump, which was also a new high.
McInturff said the poll is Trump's "strongest" in three years.
"Even as support for impeachment is steady/increasing, Trump's approval rating is up to some of its highest levels of his presidency," said Nate Silver, the editor-in-chief of polling site FiveThirtyEight.
The poll was conducted from Jan. 26-29 with 1,000 registered voters. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
Impeachment trial: Final vote will occur Wednesday. Closing arguments Monday
Trump's approval rating and support for impeachment have converged. But that's a mixed bag for Democrats. Even as support for impeachment is steady/increasing, Trump's approval rating is up to some of its highest levels of his presidency. https://t.co/Vfmzd6B2ps pic.twitter.com/PIQu6sAa69 — Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) February 2, 2020
Trump was impeached on articles of impeachment for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress over allegations he leveraged military aid to pressure Ukraine into opening investigations that stood to benefit him politically, including one involving former Vice President Joe Biden. The Senate trial is scheduled to wrap up this week and is expected to acquit Trump in a vote on Wednesday.
Fifty-two percent of registered voters agreed with the statement that Trump, "abused his power as president by asking a foreign government to investigate a political opponent to influence the upcoming presidential election to his advantage." Forty-one percent said they did not believe that to be the case.
When asked if they thought Trump obstructed Congress by not cooperating with the impeachment inquiry, 53% said they believed he had and 37% said he had not.
But 48% said the Senate should not vote to remove Trump from office, while 46% said it should. At the end of October, while the impeachment inquiry was underway, 49% said they favored removing Trump from office while 46% were opposed.
Several Republican senators have expressed sentiments similar to the voters. They say while Trump may have acted inappropriately, his acts did not rise to the level of an impeachable offense.
‘He shouldn’t have done it': GOP senator who scolded Trump on Ukraine explains why he backs acquittal
How polls work: The science behind gathering voter opinions The news cycle is jampacked with polls. But have you ever wondered how polls actually work and what they mean? Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., said Sunday on NBC News' "Meet the Press" that he believed Trump asked Ukraine to investigate the Bidens and delayed military aid "to encourage that investigation," but he plans to vote to acquit the president.
"I think it was wrong," Alexander said of Trump's alleged acts, adding he thought Trump should have gone to the Department of Justice if he had concerns about Biden. But he said, "I don't think it's the kind of inappropriate action that the framers would expect the Senate to substitute its judgment for the people in picking a president."
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said on CNN's "State of the Union" that Trump had legitimate concerns about corruption but "did it maybe in the wrong manner" and "should have gone to the DOJ." But she says she will vote to acquit because, "whether you like what the president has done or not," it did not warrant removing him from office.
Democrats have denounced the trial as unfair because the Republican-controlled Senate voted against issuing subpoenas for additional witnesses and documents.
Thirty-nine percent of voters said the Senate already has enough testimony and evidence to make its decision, while 37% said it needs more information. Another 22% said they did not know enough to give an opinion.
In the poll, Trump trailed the leading Democratic presidential candidates in hypothetical matchups, but he had also closed the gap with each of them from an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll taken in July. For example, Biden beat Trump 50%-44% in the recent poll, but in July, Biden was up 51%-42%.
In the race for the Democratic nomination, the poll found Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont ahead of Biden by one percentage point, 27%-26%, followed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts at 15%, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg at 9%, former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 7%, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota at 5% and entrepreneur Andrew Yang at 4%. The other candidates were at 2% or less support.
Voters in Iowa are gearing up to cast the first ballots in the contest in caucuses on Monday.
The 2020 candidates: Who is running for president? An interactive guide
More: How do the Iowa caucuses work and how they are different than a primary?