KDSN RADIO News
Parties point to metrics as Iowa’s 2024 election winds down
Iowa’s two major political parties are emphasizing different metrics as Election Day draws near — the new “Iowa Poll” showing Democrat Kamala Harris with a narrow lead and early voting stats showing Iowa Republicans with an edge.
Governor Kim Reynolds has been asking Republicans a question: “How many in here have voted already?”
Nearly every person at a recent gathering of central Iowa conservatives raised their hand. “Woohoo! That’s awesome,” Reynolds told the crowd. “Vote early. Bank that vote and then go get 10-12 people to the polls…This is what I’m starting to see and the numbers are reflecting it.”
Reynolds helped raise the money for the state party’s plan to reach voters who asked for an absentee ballot but haven’t cast it, or get infrequent voters to cast a ballot on Election Day. By Friday night, Republicans had an early voting edge over Democrats of about 1.5%. It’s the first time since 2014 that Republicans have been ahead in early voting. “It’s looking good,” Reynolds told Radio Iowa Friday night. “When you look at how close it is right now compared to where it was in 2022 and compared to where it was in previous elections, we’re in a really good place.”
On Saturday night, Democrats began citing the Des Moines Register’s latest “Iowa Poll.” It found Kamala Harris leading Donald Trump by three points among Iowans who intend to vote or have already cast an early vote. Iowa Democratic Party chair Rita Hart told reporters it’s “an exciting development,” but she offered a word of caution to Democrats.
“Remember, this is just a poll and what really matters is that Iowans show up and make their voices heard,” Hart said during an online news conference Saturday evening, noting there are still Iowans who haven’t yet made up their minds about voting.
On Saturday morning, Hart was in Clinton County, giving a pep talk to a group of Democrats who planned to make one-on-one pitches to voters. “I made a few phone calls yesterday and everybody told me the same thing,” Hart said. “They’re so anxious.”
