We interviewed hundreds of Iowans over 7 months. Here’s what we learned ahead of the caucuses.

DES MOINES, Iowa — Republican presidential candidates have held hundreds of events, shaken thousands of hands and covered practically every inch of highway across Iowa’s 99 counties.

And NBC News was along for the ride — not only listening to every word the White House hopefuls said, but also talking to hundreds of voters who turned up to listen to and ask questions of the candidates.

Those interviews colored in important details about Iowa and its GOP caucuses that help explain what will happen Monday night. From explaining former President Donald Trump’s enduring appeal on the right to highlighting the different coalitions the GOP candidates are building to spotlighting a new local issue that broke through during the campaign, here’s what we’ve learned from Iowans in this campaign.

Trump’s results, not his conduct, matter most to his evangelical supporters

In 2016, evangelical Christian voters in Iowaboosted Sen. Ted Cruz to acaucus victory over Trump. This time around, they have been among Trump’s strongest supporters.

“Being an Iowa farm boy, I didn’t give a whole lot of credibility to Donald Trump the New York billionaire mogul,” said Craig Gingrich, a 75-year-old part-time teacher from Cedar Falls. Gingrich, an evangelical, caucused for Cruz back in 2016.

And while Trump’s style didn’t align with Gingrich’s Christian values in the run-up to the 2016 Iowa caucuses, Trump’s substance in office convinced the septuagenarian that the former president is the right man for the job in 2024.

“Instinctively, you know, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t really be attracted to Donald Trump. But he’s proven his credibility,” said Gingrich, who told NBC News that he’s become more religious with age and cited Trump’s Supreme Court