Donald Trump got a convincing victory in the first Republican 2024 presidential contest in Iowa on Monday, reaffirming his dominance over a party seeking a third consecutive nomination and a rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden.
Edison Research predicts Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley will battle it out for second place, seeking to become the main alternative to Trump, who held the presidency from 2017-2021.
Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social:
“THANK YOU IOWA, I LOVE YOU ALL!!!”
After more than 60 percent of expected votes were counted, Trump had 50.6 percent, DeSantis had 21.4 percent and Haley had 19.4 percent, according to Edison. The largest margin in the Iowa Republican caucus was Bob Dole’s in 1988, 12.8 percentage points.
Ron DeSantis supporters lingered at his West Des Moines campaign party, taking advantage of the bar. Among them was Michael Bahrt, a precinct captain from Urbandale, who said he felt hopeful. He noted:
“It was not the result I wanted, but it beat expectations.”
Haley allies leaving her West Des Moines watch party downplayed her disappointing finish and argued that she remained the only candidate with a viable path forward against Trump. “It is a two-point difference,” said Representative Ralph Norman of South Carolina, referring to the gap between Haley and DeSantis. And he argued that, unlike Haley, DeSantis had “put his eggs in only one basket.”
