Iowa Rep. Steve King believes the crucial number for GOP voter turnout in his state Monday is 135,000.
"If it is 135,000 or less Ted Cruz wins in Iowa," King said Sunday on Fox News Channel's
"The Kelly File."
"If that number soars above in a significant way it is Donald Trump."
The Iowa caucuses hit a record number of participants on the Republican side in 2012 at 121,503.
State Republican leaders expect that number to go even higher this year,
National Review Online reports.
Some Iowa Republicans believe the number, inspired partly by front-runner Trump, will go even higher – up to 150,000 or 175,000, but others, including King, doubt that.
According to National Review, 135,000 is the magic number because Cruz has more supporters who are traditional caucus-goers, while Trump pulls more people who have never participated in the process, which is less familiar even to Iowans than traditional voting.
"Republicans here have watched closely for signs of increased voter registration, but a report from the secretary of state's office on Thursday confirmed that there has not been any meaningful spike in the GOP voter rolls," National Review said.
The website noted, however, that voters can register at their caucus precincts as late as Monday.
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