DES MOINES COUNTY, Iowa — This is a caucus like Iowans have never seen before. Voters came from Egypt, Italy, London and Amsterdam to gather in Paris and choose their Democratic presidential candidate for the 2020 election.
Some are serving at U.S military bases. Some are studying abroad. Some had never met another Iowan abroad until Monday night.
And they all love being able to caucus outside Iowa for the first time. Paris is one of just three satellite caucus locations outside the U.S. and drew the biggest number of expat Iowans.
As Monday's caucuses kicked off in a town hall north of the Louvre Museum, the 17 registered voters laughed and begged for one another's votes. They celebrated Midwestern values and European public health care systems -- and debated passionately about how best to best Republican President Donald Trump.
The Paris caucuses were organized by a 20-year-old student who was voting for the first time. Some participants got the wrong address and time, so they restarted the whole thing an hour later.
