Iowa deep freeze to test Republican candidates and coats on caucus day

By Tim Reid

ALTOONA, Iowa (Reuters) - When Iowa voters gather on Monday to kick off the Republican presidential nominating race, forecasters predict it could be the coldest Iowa caucus night ever - as low as a frigid minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 degrees Celsius) in places.

Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said on Thursday he’s never experienced cold like that and has a major problem: He left his winter coat in his home state of Florida and has asked aides to fly it to Iowa as soon as possible.

DeSantis is locked in a battle with former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley for second place in Iowa, behind former Republican President Donald Trump, the clear frontrunner, to see who will face President Joe Biden in November's election.

Speaking at a biofuels meeting in Altoona, DeSantis told the gathering he returned to his home state earlier in the week to give his annual address to the state legislature.

When he flew back to Iowa, he said, he forgot a vital piece of clothing.

“I actually do have a winter coat, believe it or not, you know to go over the suit and it is pretty nice. And I left the winter coat in Tallahassee, so they're now doing an operation to be able to get that winter coat up here,” DeSantis said.

DeSantis noted that many Midwesterners, including Iowans, head to Florida this time of year to escape the cold, telling the crowd that his home state will be enjoying temperatures in the 70s this weekend.

But he urged people to brave the chill in Iowa on Monday evening and vote for him.

(Reporting by Tim Reid; additional reporting by Costas Pitas; editing by Jonathan Oatis)