Kaufmann: Iowa GOP prepared for absolute avalanche of caucusgoers

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Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann speaks at the 2015 Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines on May 16, 2015.(Photo: Bryon Houlgrave/The Register)Buy Photo

It's impossible to know whether Donald Trump will convince legions of first-time caucusgoers to turn out to vote Feb. 1, but Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann said the party is preparing for record-setting turnout just in case.

Kaufmann, who helps oversee the statewide caucus effort, said he believes there are Iowans who are not registered as Republicans and who have never caucused before who would like to do so for the Republican businessman.

"Will those people, on a cold night, come to the school or come to the community center to caucus?" Kaufmann asked. "If the answer to that is yes, I don’t think there’s any doubt we’re going to have a significant turnout that’s going to break the records. It might even shatter the record. We are prepared for that at the party."

Trump, who places at or near the top of most state and national polls, has drawn numerous Iowans to his events who have never caucused before, leading many to wonder whether they'll follow through and caucus Feb. 1. The Trump campaign has focused in recent weeks on making sure event attendees know about the caucus process.

“What you did here today to get here is harder than what you’re going to have to do at caucus night, I promise you that,” Trump's Iowa co-chair, Tana Goertz, told a crowd in Ottumwa Saturday.

Kaufmann said he can't envision a scenario in which Republicans don't surpass the 120,000-person mark, which has been a historical benchmark for both parties.

The 2007 caucuses have been a notable exception, when then-Sen. Barack Obama helped propel record turnout of 240,000 Democrats.

"We are prepared, let's put it that way, for an absolute avalanche of people," said Kaufmann.

But Kaufmann said he's most concerned about ensuring the results are credible, especially following the 2011 caucuses in which the votes were too close to call and a winner was declared prematurely.

"I feel more pressure because of that than I do anything else," Kaufmann said. Though he noted that both parties have worked with Microsoft to upgrade their caucus results reporting system.

"I like where we’re at right now. I like where the Democrats are at right now," he said. "I don’t know that we could be any more prepared going into Feb. 1."

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