Iowans weigh Trump’s legal woes as they decide who to back in caucuses

Ames, Iowa CNN —

Teresa Garman has attended decades worth of Iowa caucuses, but views Monday’s meeting as the most consequential.

Despite forecasts predicting negative temperatures, the 86-year-old Ames resident said the cold wouldn’t deter her from showing up to back Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis – even if she doesn’t think he’ll beat former President Donald Trump.

“I think Trump is probably going to win the Iowa caucus and hopefully DeSantis will be next,” Garman, a former Iowa state representative, said ahead of a DeSantis event here. She said she hoped the Florida governor would come in second “just in case Trump isn’t able to run.”

Trump – and his myriad legal troubles – have loomed large over the GOP presidential primary, especially as Republicans in the Hawkeye State make their final decision on who to back in Monday night’s caucuses. Polls have shown the former president with a commanding lead over the field both in Iowa and nationally, even as he faces four indictments and awaits a Supreme Court decision over efforts to remove him from the ballot in Colorado.

In interviews, Iowans expressed an array of opinions on Trump’s legal problems, from anger over what they say they believe is a “witch hunt,” echoing the former president’s criticism, to a desire to move on and focus on issues plaguing the country.

Trump’s rivals have taken different approaches to manage those views. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley refers to the “chaos” that follows the former president. DeSantis, who often says Trump “is running for his issues” while he runs on voters’ issues, has also argued the legal challenges would be a distraction in a general election.

For his part, Vivek Ramaswamy has instead leaned into defending