Donald Trump clinched a decisive victory in Iowa’s initial 2024 Republican presidential showdown on Monday, solidifying his dominance within the party despite grappling with numerous criminal charges in his pursuit of a rematch with President Joe Biden.
In a commanding display, Trump secured over half of the votes, positioning himself for what appears to be a closely contested and highly contentious election battle against the Democratic incumbent in November.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, aged 45, secured the second position in Iowa, surpassing former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, aged 51, as they both failed to emerge as the primary challenger.
Trump, at the age of 77 and the sole current or former U.S. president facing criminal charges, achieved an unparalleled victory margin in an Iowa Republican contest, reinforcing his argument that his nomination is practically assured, given his substantial lead in national polls.
The final results, with 99% of the anticipated votes tallied, revealed Trump with 51%, DeSantis with 21%, and Haley with 19%, according to Edison Research. This victory margin significantly exceeded the previous record set by Bob Dole in 1988, which stood at 12.8 percentage points.
“THANK YOU IOWA, I LOVE YOU ALL!!!” Trump expressed on his Truth Social media platform, conveying his gratitude.
Seeking to expedite the typically protracted Republican selection process, Trump aims to leverage a series of convincing early primary victories to compel his rivals to withdraw from the race.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy concluded his underdog presidential campaign after securing just under 8% of the vote on Monday, endorsing Trump in the process.
The candidates swiftly transition to New Hampshire on Tuesday, where the state’s more moderate Republicans will determine their nominee next week. Polls indicate a narrower lead for Trump over Haley in New Hampshire, with DeSantis trailing considerably behind.
Surveys gauging the sentiments of Iowa caucus-goers revealed that the frontrunner, Trump, faced no imminent threat of defeat.
An astonishing 64% of caucus-goers had already made up their minds on which candidate to support before the onset of this month. Within this group, a resounding 64% threw their support behind Trump, as indicated by entrance polls conducted by Edison Research.
This overwhelming mandate rendered the late-stage campaigning efforts by contenders Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley nearly inconsequential.
