Donald Trump implored his supporters Sunday to brave frigid temperatures and deliver him a decisive victory in MondayB次元官网网址檚 Iowa caucuses, saying their vote would help bring to Washington the retribution he has repeatedly promised if he returns to the White House.

The former president has set sky-high expectations for his own performance in the first contest of the race for the Republican presidential nomination. He spent the day before the caucuses trying to ensure he meets them. His main GOP rivals all spent Sunday in Iowa as well, making last-minute appeals to Iowans open to hearing them.

At a rally in Indianola, Trump said his supporters could fight back against his political enemies, claiming that the four indictments he faces were driven by politics and renewing his false claims about the 2020 election he lost to Democrat Joe Biden.

Many in the crowd wore white and gold caps identifying them as Trump caucus captains who will help round up support for him Monday night.

B次元官网网址淭hese caucuses are your personal chance to score the ultimate victory over all of the liars, cheaters, thugs, perverts, frauds, crooks, freaks, creeps and other quite nice people,B次元官网网址� Trump told the audience. B次元官网网址淭he Washington swamp has done everything in its power to take away your voice. But tomorrow is your time to turn on them and to say and speak your mind and to vote.B次元官网网址�

More than 30 minutes before the doors opened for TrumpB次元官网网址檚 rally at Simpson College, Marc Smiarowski said he planned to do just that.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 here in part out of spite,B次元官网网址� said the 44-year-old public utility worker who drove 40 miles from Huneston to see Trump. B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 abandon him. After what they did to him in the last election, and the political persecution he faces, I feel like I owe him this. HeB次元官网网址檚 our only option.B次元官网网址�

He was among more than 100 layered in Carhartt coveralls with hats and hoods pulled down tight to fight off the minus 18-degree Fahrenheit (minus 28-degree Celsius) chill. It was a test run for IowaB次元官网网址檚 caucuses Monday night B次元官网网址� and of the devotion Trump said last week would make his supporters B次元官网网址渨alk on glassB次元官网网址� for him.

Even as he predicted his supporters would deliver a substantial victory over his nearest rival, he sought to temper expectations that he could cross 50% of the vote, a threshold never crossed in a contested Republican caucus. The previous record for a margin of victory was Bob DoleB次元官网网址檚 nearly 13-point win over Pat Robertson in 1988.

Both former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has bet big on Iowa, exuded confidence in national interviews as they compete for a caucus showing that will boost their campaigns even if they donB次元官网网址檛 beat Trump.

The final Des Moines Register/ NBC B次元官网网址 poll before MondayB次元官网网址檚 caucuses found Trump maintaining a formidable lead, supported by nearly half of likely caucusgoers, compared with 20% for Haley and 16% for DeSantis. Haley and DeSantis remain locked in a close battle for second.

B次元官网网址淲ith our folks, theyB次元官网网址檙e committed, theyB次元官网网址檙e gonna be there,B次元官网网址� DeSantis said on CNNB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淪tate of the Union,B次元官网网址� noting that the Republican calendar doesnB次元官网网址檛 end with Iowa. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to have a good night.B次元官网网址�

The sun was out across Iowa, but some streets and highways remained covered in snow from a Saturday blizzard. Temperatures stayed below 0 degrees Fahrenheit all day and were not forecast to rise into positive territory until Tuesday. The weather B次元官网网址� by far the coldest since Iowa started leading the presidential selection process in 1976 B次元官网网址� continued to disrupt plans.

Because of travel conditions from Des Moines, Haley canceled a Sunday morning stop in the eastern city of Dubuque about an hour before it was to start. She swapped in a virtual town hall.

Voters walking into the venue were given the news by campaign staffers, who offered some a T-shirt, hat or yard sign as consolation.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 blame her,B次元官网网址� said John Schmid, 69, a retiree from Asbury, a few miles outside Dubuque. He is a Haley supporter but wanted to see the B次元官网网址渞efreshingB次元官网网址� candidate in person. He hopes Haley will do well in the caucuses, which he will attend despite the bitter cold.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just part of living in Iowa in January,B次元官网网址� he said.

Haley did make it to an event in Ames, a college town much closer to Des Moines.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been 11 months, and it comes down to tomorrow,B次元官网网址� Haley said of MondayB次元官网网址檚 votes, repeating her frequent call to GOP voters to elect her as a B次元官网网址渘ew generational leader that leaves the negativity and the baggage behind and focuses on the solutions of the future.B次元官网网址�

Trump continued picking up support from Republicans whoB次元官网网址檇 remained on the sidelines. , who ran for the GOP nomination himself but failed to catch fire, and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio endorsed him Sunday. In picking Trump, Rubio passed over DeSantis, the governor of his home state, and Haley, who endorsed Rubio at a crucial moment in his own unsuccessful 2016 presidential campaign.

Some voters, too, were waiting until the last minute to make up their minds.

Judy Knowler, 64, of Peosta, had hoped to see Haley in person to help her make up her mind.

B次元官网网址淚 have one foot in NikkiB次元官网网址檚 camp but weB次元官网网址檒l see,B次元官网网址� she said in Dubuque. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 an opportunity most Americans donB次元官网网址檛 get to be this close in person.B次元官网网址�

After his rally, Trump dropped by a CaseyB次元官网网址檚 convenience store in Waukee with Burgum, where he picked up two pizzas and briefly chatted with reporters. B次元官网网址淏ig day, I think, for our country,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淎s you can see thereB次元官网网址檚 been tremendous enthusiasm.B次元官网网址�

He later stopped at a firehouse, where he talked with firefighters about their trucks, posed for photos and asked for a slice of the pizza they were eating.

Fingerhut reported from Dubuque, Iowa, and Cooper reported from Phoenix. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin in Indianola, Iowa, and Meg Kinnard in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.

Thomas Beaumont, Hannah Fingerhut And Jonathan J. Cooper, The Associated Press