Meet the little-known biggest players in the Iowa Caucuses

What sets the Iowa caucuses apart from the primaries in most other states is persuasion: the idea that even if someone enters their polling place with a preferred candidate, he or she may still be open to changing their mind.

While electioneering is broadly banned at polling places in other states, it is actively encouraged in the gymnasiums, auditoriums, churches and community centers where Iowans gather Monday night. And the people formally charged with this – the district heads – are among the most important players in the caucuses. Yet they are little known to outside observers.

The goal is to have one captain for each candidate at each location. They try to convince people personally before the procedure begins, and later comes the central responsibility: a short speech about why their neighbors should support their candidate.

Some are seasoned agents; one of Ron DeSantis' captains is a former co-chair of the Iowa Republican Party, and one of Nikki Haley's is a senator.

But many are ordinary Iowans who decided to volunteer, often for the first time. Meet four:

Mary Doyle

Supporting Donald J. Trump in Des Moines

When Mary Doyle, 69, attended a Trump rally last summer, she checked a box on a form saying she wanted to help the campaign. On Monday she will become district captain – a job she was reluctant to accept.

“I was a little leery because, oh, wait a minute, that sounds like it's important and I should know what I'm doing,” she said.

Ms Doyle, who works in data analytics, said she would plan her speech carefully to avoid rambling. “My mind sometimes thinks faster than my words can come out,” she said.

In an interview on Saturday, she said she believed Trump was the only candidate who could “bring this country back into shape” and, amid international crises, “could jump up and kind of dictate to the other countries what we're going to do . To do.”

“I don't want younger kids today not to be able to enjoy the country the way I was able to enjoy it,” she said.

She said she “will not deny” that Mr. Trump has an ego. “But I saw something in him. I just feel something about him.”

John Weihs

Supporting role of Nikki Haley in Hudson

John Weihs is the sole captain of Nikki Haley's campaign at a tri-district caucus location – so he will have to deliver his speech three times, in three different rooms at the same school.

But he said he was ready. “I feel pretty good,” he said in an interview on Saturday.

Weihs, 58, who retired from John Deere, describes himself as a moderate conservative — he crossed the aisle to support Amy Klobuchar in the 2020 Democratic caucuses but reluctantly voted for Mr. Trump in the general election .

“I'm going to emphasize character,” he said of his speech.

He does not intend to speak negatively about Mr. Trump, he said, “because I know that will turn people off, but I really just want to contrast the two by highlighting her strengths.”

Those strengths? He cited “positive leadership, experience, intellect” and his belief that “she is open to input and discussion, but can also hold her own and be persuasive, and make agreements instead of being in battle mode all the time .'

Lori Tiangco

Supporting Ron DeSantis in Des Moines

Lori Tiangco — who will be a district captain for Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida in another room at the same school where Ms. Doyle will be a captain for Mr. Trump — has volunteered for Republican candidates dating back to George W. Bush. In previous caucuses, she served as both captain (representing her preferred candidate) and chair (overseeing the entire proceedings).

“I don't want to be someone who just stands on the sidelines and complains,” said Ms. Tiangco, 56, a background checker.

She said her speech would focus on the economy — she has family members who work two jobs to make ends meet, she said, and she struggles to afford diabetes test strips — as well as border security and her belief that the government should protect the freedoms of the takes away Americans. , such as with calls for gun restrictions.

She praised Mr.'s military service. DeSantis and said she saw him as “standing up for parents' rights,” regarding schools mandating diversity, equity and inclusion in their curricula.

“I just feel like he's the only candidate that gives us hope,” she said. “If he said he was going to do something, he did it.”

Joanne Keane

Supporting Vivek Ramaswamy in Sioux City

Joanne Keane doesn't see herself as 'a political person', so she surprised herself when she raised her hand to volunteer at a rally for Vivek Ramaswamy.

Ms Keane, 57, emigrated from Vietnam 34 years ago after the country imprisoned her father for a decade for helping the US military during the Vietnam War.

She sees Mr. Ramaswamy as the candidate best able to deliver on the promise of the United States as she has experienced it.

“I left my motherland, which is Vietnam, and America is the promised land,” she said, adding, “I want my children to see America as a promised land, and I want that promised land to continue to exist, a national country has. identity.”

She was attracted to Mr. Ramaswamy's list of “10 truths,” including that “there are two genders,” “reverse racism is racism,” “an open border is not a border,” “capitalism lifts people out of poverty” and — most importantly, she said — “God is real.”

Being intelligent and exercising power is not enough, she said.

“You must have the virtue of humanity, the human race,” she said.