Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told Newsmax on Monday that being successful in Iowa's caucuses sets up a presidential candidate for doing well in other states because the campaign tactics are similar.
"It's about a ground game," Johnson told "American Agenda." "It's being able to go into the communities, find your supporters in those communities who will talk to their friends, families and neighbors. If you can do that successfully in Iowa, you can then transfer that skill set as a campaign to other states like Wisconsin, as well."
Johnson, who won't be up for reelection until 2028, said it was a mistake for Democrats to ignore Iowa and kick off their primary schedule with South Carolina on Feb. 3. Democrats also are caucusing Monday, but only to start choosing delegates to the national convention Aug. 19-22 in Chicago and other administrative business.
Iowa Democrats will select their party's presidential nominee through a mail-in voting process, the results of which will be revealed March 5, Super Tuesday on the primary schedule.
"Democrats [are] trying to write off Iowa; they shouldn't," Johnson said. "It's an incredibly important testing ground for the kind of campaign Republicans need to win. I remember [former Sen.] Pat Toomey used to say that Pennsylvania was Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with Alabama in between. Many states are like that.
"In Wisconsin, we've got Madison. We've got Milwaukee. We have a couple other blue areas, but primarily red. It's so much easier for your Democrat to just go energize the people on an issue like abortion in Madison, Milwaukee.
"Republicans, we have to go and fight for every vote in every little town and community, including the big ones, as well. It's a much more challenging prospect, and so you need that ground game [and] rely less on advertising, which is important, but focus on the ground game."
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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