What we’re watching in the final week before Iowa


There is just one week to go until the Iowa caucuses — and there’s a lot we’re watching.

It’s the first concrete test of former President Donald Trump’s momentum in the GOP presidential primary. He’s widely expected to win, but next week’s results could give us a clearer picture of how the rest of the primary will go: Will it be a Trump blowout, or could he face some serious competition?

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — once seen as Trump’s most formidable opponent — and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley, who has been rising in the polls, are fighting to chip away at some of the former president’s support in the race for second place. Businessperson Vivek Ramaswamy has crossed every county in the state — twice — but is still struggling to overcome the rest of his opponents. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, meanwhile, isn’t even putting energy into Iowa, and is instead focusing on New Hampshire’s contest later this month.

We asked six POLITICO campaign reporters what they’re keeping an eye on in the key final stretch before the Iowa caucuses.

What are you watching throughout the week?

Meridith McGraw: What’s so strange about this next week is that Trump will be spending two days — Tuesday and Thursday — sitting in courtrooms rather than out on the campaign trail. He was in Iowa over the weekend, and has plans to do a Fox News town hall and a rally blitz next weekend. But the split screen of a leading candidate in court and on the trail will be unprecedented and weird.

Natalie Allison: Does Haley have massive crowds trying to see her in Iowa this week? And I don’t mean “Did her advance staff successfully fill a 200-person........

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