Donald Trump decisively won the Iowa caucuses on Monday with his closest rivals languishing far behind, a crucial victory that reinforces the former president’s grip on his party at the outset of the GOP’s 2024 nomination fight.
Quick Read
- Trump’s Decisive Victory in Iowa: Donald Trump won the Iowa caucuses, significantly outpacing his closest rivals, reinforcing his influence within the Republican Party at the start of the 2024 GOP nomination fight.
- Uncertain Second-Place Finisher: It was unclear whether Florida Governor Ron DeSantis or former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley would emerge as the second-place finisher.
- Challenging Conditions for Caucus Voters: Voters faced life-threatening cold and dangerous driving conditions to participate in the caucuses.
- Impact on the GOP Nomination Race: Trump’s victory in Iowa is seen as an early yet significant step in his bid to secure the Republican nomination for a third consecutive time, posing a challenge to his GOP rivals.
- Trump’s Focus on a Potential General Election: Trump, looking ahead, criticized President Joe Biden and positioned himself for a potential general election matchup.
- Biden’s Fundraising Efforts: The Biden team announced substantial fundraising achievements, indicating readiness for a possible rematch with Trump.
- Haley and DeSantis’ Campaign Strategies: Both Haley and DeSantis are positioning themselves as alternatives to Trump, with specific strategies for upcoming primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
- Trump’s Legal Challenges: Amidst his campaign, Trump faces several legal challenges, including court appearances related to various charges.
- Trump’s Performance Among Different Voter Demographics: The article details Trump’s support across various demographics, including a notable weakness in suburban areas.
- Historical Context of Iowa Caucuses: The Iowa caucuses are mentioned as an uneven predictor of the ultimate Republican nominee, with the last clear correlation occurring in 2000.
- Trump’s Influence on the Republican Party: The article reflects on Trump’s continued strong influence within the GOP, despite his controversial tenure and legal issues.
- Cold Weather During the Caucuses: The extremely cold weather conditions during the caucuses are highlighted, underscoring the commitment of the caucus participants.
- Overall Takeaways from the Iowa Caucuses: The article concludes with broader observations about the state of the Republican Party and the potential implications of the Iowa caucus results on the 2024 presidential election.
- Trump’s Campaign Style: Trump ran a unique campaign, almost like an incumbent, convincing many Republicans of his unfounded claims about the 2020 election. He focused less on traditional campaigning in Iowa, avoiding debates and spending time in court instead.
- Expectations in New Hampshire: New Hampshire is known for its unpredictable outcomes, often differing from Iowa’s results. Trump’s competitors, particularly Haley, are looking for strong performances there.
- Voter Priorities in Iowa: Immigration, not the economy, was the top issue for many Iowa caucus-goers. Despite stable or improving personal finances, there’s a strong desire for major governmental changes.
- Haley’s Campaign Message: Nikki Haley’s campaign emphasized moving forward without vendettas, contrasting with Trump’s approach.
- Race for Second Place: The contest in Iowa was not just about winning but also for second place, primarily between Haley and DeSantis.
- Trump’s Address at Caucus Site: Trump spoke to his supporters at a caucus site in Des Moines, emphasizing his achievements and critiquing the current administration.
- AP’s Method for Declaring Trump the Winner: The Associated Press declared Trump the winner based on early returns and the AP VoteCast survey, showing his significant lead.
- Haley and DeSantis’ Appeal Among Voters: Haley appeals to anti-Trump Republicans, and DeSantis performs well among conservatives dissatisfied with Trump but willing to support him in a general election.
- Support for Trump’s MAGA Movement: A majority of Iowa Republican caucus-goers support the “Make America Great Again” movement, indicating
- Trump’s continued influence in the party.
- Challenging Weather Conditions: The caucuses were conducted in extremely cold weather, marking them as the coldest in history.
- Iowa Restaurant’s Caucus-Themed Menu: A local restaurant, Zombie Burger, created special menu items themed around the candidates, adding a lighter note to the caucus events.
The Associated Press has the story:
Trump notches a commanding win in Iowa as Haley & DeSantis fight for 2nd place
Newslooks- DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) —
Donald Trump decisively won the Iowa caucuses on Monday with his closest rivals languishing far behind, a crucial victory that reinforces the former president’s grip on his party at the outset of the GOP’s 2024 nomination fight.
It was not immediately clear who would emerge as the second-place finisher, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. Caucus voters endured life-threatening cold and dangerous driving conditions to participate in meetings that unfolded in hundreds of schools, churches and community centers across the state.
The results are just the first in what will be a monthslong effort for Trump to secure the GOP nomination a third consecutive time. But the victory sends an unmistakable message to the Republican Party that the nomination is Trump’s to lose and crystalizes the challenge facing his GOP opponents.
Trump was already looking ahead to a potential general election matchup against President Joe Biden as he addressed hundreds of cheering supporters at a caucus site at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, Iowa.
“He is totally destroying our country,” Trump said of Biden. “We were a great nation three years ago and today people are laughing at us.”
Biden’s team, meanwhile, announced that he and the Democratic National Committee raised more than $97 million in the last quarter of 2023 and finished the year with $117 million in the bank, an effort to demonstrate how Biden is preparing for a possible rematch while Trump is competing in the primary.
DeSantis and Haley are competing to emerge as the top alternative to the former president. Haley hopes to compete vigorously in New Hampshire, where she hopes to be more successful with the state’s independent voters heading into the Jan. 23 primary. DeSantis is heading to New Hampshire on Tuesday only after a stop in South Carolina, a conservative stronghold where the Feb. 24 contest could prove pivotal.
Trump, meanwhile, was expected to fly to New York Monday night so he could be in court Tuesday as a jury is poised to consider whether he should pay additional damages to a columnist who last year won a $5 million jury award against Trump for sex abuse and defamation.
He will then fly to New Hampshire, the next state in the Republican primary calendar, to hold a rally Tuesday evening.
Iowa is an uneven predictor of who will ultimately lead Republicans into the general election. George W. Bush’s 2000 victory was the last time a Republican candidate won in Iowa and went on to become the party’s standard-bearer.
Trump showed significant strength among Iowa’s urban, small-town and rural communities, according to AP VoteCast. He also performed well with evangelical Christians and those without a college degree. And a majority of caucusgoers said that they identify with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement.
One relative weakness for Trump comes in the suburbs, where only about 4 in 10 supported him.
AP VoteCast is a survey of more than 1,500 voters who said they planned to take part in the caucuses. The survey is conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson were also on the ballot in Iowa, as was former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who suspended his campaign last week.
Trump’s success tells a remarkable story of a Republican Party unwilling or unable to move on from a flawed front-runner. He lost to Biden in 2020 after fueling near-constant chaos while in the White House, culminating with his supporters carrying out a deadly attack on the U.S. Capitol. In total, he faces 91 felony charges across four criminal cases.
The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing whether states have the ability to block Trump from the ballot for his role in sparking the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. And he’s facing criminal trials in Washington and Atlanta for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Through it all, Trump has intentionally used his legal problems as a political asset.
Over the last week alone, Trump chose to leave the campaign trail on two separate occasions to make voluntary appearances before judges in New York and Washington. In both cases, he addressed the media directly afterward, ensuring that national coverage of his legal drama would make it more difficult for his Republican rivals to break through in Iowa.
Trump has also increasingly echoed authoritarian leaders and framed his campaign as one of retribution. He has spoken openly about using the power of government to pursue his political enemies. He has repeatedly harnessed rhetoric once used by Adolf Hitler to argue that immigrants entering the U.S. illegally are “poisoning the blood of our country.” And he recently shared a word cloud last week to his social media account highlighting “revenge,” “power” and “dictatorship.”
Trump’s legal challenges appear to have done little damage to his reputation as the charges are seen through a political lens.
About three-quarters say the charges against Trump are political attempts to undermine him, rather than legitimate attempts to investigate important issues, according to AP VoteCast.
Meanwhile, Iowa caucus participants were forced to brave the coldest temperatures in caucus history as forecasters warned that “dangerously cold wind chills” as low as 45 degrees below zero Fahrenheit were possible through noon Tuesday. The conditions, according to the National Weather Service, could lead to “frostbite and hypothermia in a matter of minutes if not properly dressed for the conditions.”
Trump leads GOP rightward march and other takeaways from the Iowa caucuses
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s iron grip on the Republican Party has been clear since the day he announced he would make another run for the White House 14 months ago. It can be seen in the party’s ideological shift even further to the right on cultural issues and, especially, on immigration policy.
Iowa Republicans were a clear reflection of that on Monday night, delivering the former president an emphatic victory. They channeled his anger, and his view that basically everything President Joe Biden has done has been a “disaster.” About 9 in 10 voters said they want upheaval or substantial change in how the government operates, according to AP Vote Cast, a survey of more than 1,500 voters who said they planned to take part in the caucuses.
As clear-cut as his win was, though, Iowa has not played the role of kingmaker in the Republican nominating process. New Hampshire’s voters don’t get their cues from Iowa.
Here are some key takeaways:
AN INCUMBENT CAMPAIGN
This was the least suspenseful Iowa caucus in modern memory because Trump has essentially been running as an incumbent president. He’s convinced many Republicans he didn’t really lose the 2020 election to Biden, repeatedly making false claims, and has dominated the race the way someone still in office does.
He traveled sparingly to the state, holding a modest number of rallies. He spurned candidate debates. He chose to appear at court hearings as a defendant in his legal cases in New York and Washington rather than speak to Iowa voters in the final days before the voting.
The former president, who remains the party’s dominant favorite, clearly wants to move on to the general election as quickly as possible. But Iowa winnows the field more than it determines the winner.
TWISTS AND TURNS AHEAD
Inevitable can be a dangerous word, especially in New Hampshire, which holds its primary in eight days.
New Hampshire has famously delivered upsets in both parties. Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley quipped that New Hampshire “corrects” Iowa. Bush felt New Hampshire’s sting in 2000 when Senator John McCain defeated him. So did former vice president Walter Mondale when Senator Gary Hart of Colorado scored an upset in the Democratic race in 1984.
With its more moderate, educated electorate, New Hampshire presents Trump’s rivals with possibly their best opportunity to slow his march. Haley is hoping for a win there or at least a very strong showing, and after that comes a weird political lull — with the next major competitive race in South Carolina on Feb. 24.
But plenty can happen during that time. The U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 8 is scheduled to hear arguments in a case challenging whether a constitutional clause banning those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office applies to Trump. The high court may also weigh in on whether presidential immunity protects Trump from federal charges for trying to overturn his 2020 election loss.
The criminal trial in that case is scheduled to start on March 5 — Super Tuesday — when 14 states vote in the presidential nominating process. Trump’s strength among Republican voters is beyond dispute, but the road is long and could be bumpy.
IT’S NOT THE ECONOMY
Iowans had something on their minds, but it wasn’t jobs, taxes or business regulations.
About 4 in 10 caucus-goers said immigration was their top issue, compared to 1 in 3 picking the economy, according to VoteCast. Other priorities like foreign policy, energy and abortion ranked even lower.
Indeed, about two-thirds of caucus-goers said they felt their finances were holding steady or improving. But the voters still want major changes — 3 in 10 want a total upheaval of how the federal government runs while another 6 in 10 want substantial changes. Additionally, Trump faces multiple criminal charges, 6 in 10 caucus-goers don’t trust the U.S. legal system.
It adds up to a portrait of a slice of the electorate eager to challenge core democratic institutions in the U.S.
Haley appeals to voters who want to ‘move forward with no more vendettas’
CLIVE — Haley has added a forward-looking wind-up to her standard campaign speech that seemed to graze Trump.
“If you want to move forward with no more vendettas, if you want to move forward with a sense of hope, join us in this caucus,” she said. “I ask for your vote. And I promise you I will make sure every day I focus on what it takes to make you proud.”
Several hundred people at the Horizon Events Center rose to their feet in applause.Race for second place is between Haley and DeSantis
DES MOINES — Haley and DeSantis are vying for second place in Iowa’s leadoff Republican caucuses.
The contest for runner-up narrowed to the former U.N. ambassador and the Florida governor on Monday night after Trump was declared the winner of the first-in-the-nation GOP voting contest.
Vivek Ramaswamy and Asa Hutchinson are among the other candidates competing for votes.Trump addresses caucus site shortly before AP calls Iowa for him
CLIVE — Shortly before the AP called Trump the winner in Iowa, the former president spoke at a caucus site in Des Moines.
Trump was greeted with loud cheers and applause as he addressed the crowd.
“I would appreciate your vote. I think I deserve it,” he said, making the case that things were much better when he was in charge. “We were a great nation three years ago and today people are laughing at us,” he said.
Trump was proceeded on stage by Asa Hutchinson and followed by Vivek Ramaswamy.
How the AP called Trump the winner of Iowa’s caucuses
DES MOINES — The Associated Press declared Trump the winner of the Iowa caucuses based on an analysis of early returns as well as results of AP VoteCast, a survey of voters who planned to caucus on Monday night. Both showed Trump with an insurmountable lead.
Initial results from eight counties showed Trump with far more than half of the total votes counted as of 8:31 pm. ET, with the rest of the field trailing far behind. These counties include rural areas that are demographically and politically similar to a large number of counties that have yet to report.
AP VoteCast also shows Trump with sizable leads among both men and women, as well as every age group and geographic regions throughout the state.
AP VoteCast is a survey conducted by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research of more than 1,500 voters who said they planned to take part in Monday’s Republican caucuses in Iowa.
Among voters who identify as born-again Christians, the survey found that Trump was favored by 58% voters intending to caucus, compared to 18% for DeSantis and 13% for Nikki Haley. Polls showed that was a relatively weak group of backers for Trump in Iowa in 2016.
So far, Trump is significantly outperforming his second-place 2016 caucus finish, when he received 24% of the vote, compared to 28% for Ted Cruz.
Trump wins Iowa’s first-in-the-nation GOP caucuses
CLIVE — Trump has won Iowa’s leadoff presidential caucuses, giving him a strong start in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination.
His rivals are jostling for second place, hoping for a bump heading into New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary on Jan. 23.
Trump and Hutchinson woo voters at the same caucus site
CLIVE — There are hundreds of caucus sites in Iowa. But Trump, the presumed front-runner, and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is barely registering in the polls, both ended up at the same caucus site.
“We’re trusting you, Iowa, to get it right,” Hutchinson said, addressing several hundred voters at the Horizon Events Center in Clive.
Trump was holding backstage as Hutchinson spoke.
Ramaswamy is hustling for support at a caucus site
CLIVE — Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is working until the last minute to round up votes.
He stopped by a caucus site in suburban Des Moines, telling voters, “I’d love to earn your support tonight.”
He fielded questions and compliments from a steady stream of voters lining up to speak with him or snap a selfie.
“I’m Jamie, and I just want to say congrats on a wonderfully run campaign,” one voter told him.
To another voter who sounded a little skeptical of him, Ramaswamy said, “We need someone with fresh legs” and said he’d fire most of the federal workforce.
“My parents came to this country the right way, too,” he told one person. “That’s what makes this country great.”
How Iowa Republican caucusgoers see Haley and DeSantis
DES MOINES — Among Iowa Republicans, Haley is something of an anti-Trump option, even though she was his U.N. ambassador.
She is the top candidate of GOP caucusgoers who say Trump did something illegal when it comes to at least one of the criminal cases against him, according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 1,500 voters who said they planned to take part in Monday’s Republican caucuses in Iowa.
Among those who say they are caucusing for Haley, about 4 in 10 voted for Democrat Joe Biden over Trump in 2020.
Meanwhile, DeSantis performs best among the caucusgoers who are dissatisfied with Trump but say they would ultimately vote for him in the general election, according to AP VoteCast. DeSantis’ supporters are more likely than those for other candidates to say they think abortion should always be illegal.
He performs better than Haley does among those who describe themselves as conservative.
Most Iowa GOP caucusgoers back Trump’s MAGA movement
DES MOINES — The majority of Iowa Republican caucusgoers believe in the need to “Make America Great Again,” a sign of how Trump and his political movement have transformed a state party that denied him a victory eight years ago.
That’s according to AP VoteCast, a survey of more than 1,500 voters who said they planned to take part in Monday’s Republican caucuses in Iowa. The survey was conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The findings suggest that Trump is in a strong position as the caucuses began. He shows significant strength among urban, small town and rural communities. Trump also performs well with evangelical Christians and those without a college degree. One relative weakness for Trump comes in the suburbs, where only about 4 in 10 support him.
Coldest Iowa caucuses on record are now underway
DES MOINES — Iowa Republicans have gathered at caucus meetings across the state to pick their next GOP presidential nominee.
The coldest first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses on record kicked off Monday night at minus-3 degrees Fahrenheit in the capital city, with the wind chill making it feel like minus-20, according to the National Weather Service.
In the 2016 GOP caucuses, the AP first reported results at 8:32 p.m. ET, or 32 minutes after the caucuses convened. The caucus night tabulation ended at 12:50 a.m. ET with 99.9% of total votes counted.Meatball Ron? Day One Dic-Tater?
Iowa restaurant gets in on caucus fun
DES MOINES — Zombie Burger rolled out a special menu in time for Iowa’s first-in-the-nation voting contest.
The quirky restaurant posted on its Instagram page that customers can “celebrate the circus with these featured shakes + ONE-DAY-ONLY burgers at Zombie Burger!”
The special on Jan. 12 was Mom-Aswamy’s Spaghetti burger, a smashed vegetarian meatball patty, fried spaghetti and marinara croquette with mozzarella in honor of Vivek Ramaswamy.
On Jan. 13, diners could nosh on Meatball Ron, a double smashed meatball patty with mozzarella, fried banana peppers, marinara and a “hidden” garlic bread lift — inspired by DeSantis.
The meal of the day for Jan. 14 was American History 101, featuring a double pimento cheese patty, pulled pork, pulled bacon, fried okra and Carolina Gold sauce. The Carolina Gold sauce was a giveaway for Haley.
And on caucus night itself, customers could dig into a Day One Dic-Tater, with Flamin’ Hot Cheeto orange kielbasa sausage, Jack cheese, tater rounds, housemade sauerkraut and Russian dressing. Trump recently vowed to only be a dictator on “day one” of his next term.
And throughout, diners had the choice of two special drinks: a Sleepy Joe shake or a Dark Brandon shake, both available with an alcohol option.
