According to Edison’s opening poll, only a third of caucusgoers said Trump would be unfit to be president if convicted of a crime.

Both DeSantis and Haley were seeking a second-place finish to show they could prevent Trump’s inexorable march to the nomination.

DeSantis in particular has staked his campaign in Iowa, sweeping all 99 of its counties, and a third place finish could increase pressure to derail his candidacy.

Polls show him trailing Trump and Haley significantly in the moderate northeastern state of New Hampshire, where Republicans will choose their candidate in eight days.

Unlike regular elections, the Iowa Caucus requires voters to gather in person in small groups where they cast secret ballots after campaign officials speak.

On Monday, wind chills in parts of the state are forecast to reach -45 degrees Fahrenheit (-43 degrees Celsius), which could lead to lower voter turnout, according to the National Weather Service.

If so, Trump’s control over his most loyal supporters may have given him an advantage.

DeSantis and Haley expressed confidence they would exceed expectations in Iowa, although neither predicted victory.

“If you’re willing to brave the cold and vote for me, I’m going to fight for you for the next eight years and we’re going to turn this country around,” DeSantis told an early morning crowd in Sergeant Bluff.

At a Des Moines coffee shop, Haley predicted that other candidates would be forced to withdraw in the coming weeks. “This will be a two-man race, with me and Donald Trump,” he told his supporters.

Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, who has praised Trump, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who has criticized Trump, also appeared in Iowa, although neither was expected to receive much support.

Unlike his rivals, Trump did not attend many campaign events, instead reaching out to others to rally his supporters.

CROSS VOTE

One possible unknown was the number of Democratic voters in the state who registered as Republicans to try to influence the caucus’ results.

“I just want to be able to look back and say I did everything I could to keep Donald Trump from getting elected,” said Tony Van Voorhis, 65, one of the crossover voters who planned to support Haley.

Iowa Democrats did not vote on their presidential candidates on Monday because the party changed its nominating schedule to ensure states with more diverse populations would lead Iowa this year. Democrats will vote by mail, with results announced in March.

Historically, Iowa has played a prominent role in presidential campaigns due to its early appearance on the election calendar.

But the Iowa Republican caucus winner has failed to win the nomination in the last three contests in 2008, 2012 and 2016.

The state, which supported Democrat Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, is now considered a red state in presidential elections because there are more registered Republicans than Democrats. (Reuters).