Republican presidential candidates have been criss-crossing Iowa leading up to Monday’s caucuses — but they’re focusing their time and energy on different parts of the state.
Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley spent most of her time in Des Moines and cities in eastern Iowa. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made a number of stops in the same areas, while spending more time in heavily Republican northwest Iowa. Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy has been everywhere and been there a lot.
And then there’s former President Donald Trump, who has the lightest personal footprint in Iowa before the caucuses, as he maintains a strong lead in public polls.
NBC News has followed all of the candidates’ public events since November 15. In total, Trump held 13 events in Iowa during that time, compared to Haley’s 38, DeSantis’ 76 and Ramaswamy’s 238, NBC News estimates. Some of the candidates are not included in the virtual activities due to the recent bad weather.
Campaigns are also running television ads, making phone calls and mailings to Republicans across the state. But where they spend the most (and least) time can provide important context for whether candidates overperform or underperform on Monday night.