Posted on 01/15/24
| News Source: NBC News
DES MOINES, Iowa — Donald Trump has won the Iowa caucuses, NBC News projects, cementing his firm status as the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.
Trump, who is aiming to be the first former president since Grover Cleveland in the 1890s to return to office after losing re-election to a second consecutive term, appeared Monday night to be headed for a record-breaking showing in the first nominating contest of 2024.
Trump's final margin of victory could eclipse the 13 points that Bob Dole won by in the 1996 Republican caucuses. And a commanding performance, especially if he wins a majority of the vote, would be the strongest sign yet that there is no decisive demand for an alternative as the race shifts to next week’s New Hampshire primary.
More suspenseful is what’s become a closely watched battle for second place between former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — and if they are able to keep Trump from winning a majority of the votes cast Monday.
“I need each and every one of you to get out — everybody get out, just get out and vote,” Trump said Sunday at a rally in Indianola. “You’ve got to bring your friend. … Bring them all out, because we have to set the stage for November. We have to get it done quickly.”
In last week’s final NBC News/Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa poll, 48% of likely caucus-goers picked Trump as their first choice, 20% chose Haley and 16% preferred DeSantis. Running in the single digits were biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Texas pastor Ryan Binkley.
Turnout has been the major unknown in the hours leading up to caucus time. Heavy snow last week and bone-chilling subzero temperatures over the weekend made an icy mess of Iowa’s roads, and Monday’s high was, at best, forecast to be -2 degrees F. The brutal weather could keep would-be caucusgoers at home and recalibrate best-case scenarios for the top three candidates.
Trump maintained high expectations Monday.