Cruz gets top votes in Republican caucus

Record turnout propelled Texas Sen. Ted Cruz to the top of the GOP presidential hopeful field Feb. 1, as Iowa held its first in the nation caucus to kick off the 2016 presidential nomination process.
Campaigns have been visiting Iowa for more than a year, with candidates shaking hands and answering questions one-on-one for months. Cruz, who is in his first term in the U.S. Senate, set his sights on visiting all 99 Iowa counties, a move that paid off as he emerged victorious in the crowded field, garnering 51,666 votes, representing 27.6 percent of ballots cast. Donald Trump finished second, with 45,427 votes, or 24.3 percent.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio finished third, just 2,000 votes shy of Trump’s total, at 43,165 votes.
More than 180,000 people caucused for the GOP, 65,000 more voters than during the 2012 campaign.
Calhoun County Republicans set a new attendance record, too, Chairman Kevin Schreier said Tuesday morning. Unofficial tallies set the number of voters at South Central Calhoun Middle School at 560. Four years ago, about 390 ballots were cast, Schreier said. 
Read more in the Feb. 10 edition.