Former President Donald Trump is projected to emerge victorious in the Iowa caucuses, marking his first electoral contest since the 2020 elections. CNN reported that Trump’s win solidifies his position as the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination, setting the stage for a potential rematch against incumbent President Joe Biden.
Approximately 4% of the results have been released, indicating that Trump is expected to receive 16 out of Iowa’s 40 delegates. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley are estimated to secure four delegates each, with 16 delegates remaining unallocated. The GOP nominee needs to secure at least 1,215 out of 2,429 delegates awarded.
The focus now shifts to the upcoming New Hampshire Republican primary scheduled for January 23, where Trump’s victory in Iowa puts added pressure on his rivals. Nikki Haley aims to make an impression in a more ideologically diverse primary electorate, while DeSantis faces the challenge of overcoming Trump’s dominance, despite heavy spending and efforts to signal a changing of the guard in national Republican politics.
A Trump win in both Iowa and New Hampshire could prove decisive for the rest of the election cycle, making it challenging for another GOP candidate to catch up before the general election, according to political strategists. Notably, Trump lost Iowa in the 2016 presidential bid but went on to secure the nomination.
However, Trump’s path forward is not without hurdles, as he confronts multiple criminal indictments and legal battles across the country. In some states, efforts are underway to remove him from the ballot, with the Colorado Supreme Court ruling him “disqualified” under the 14th Amendment’s insurrection clause. Despite these challenges, Trump remains confident, framing the legal issues as political attacks and expressing optimism about his performance in upcoming primaries.
“We’re going to win the Iowa caucuses, and then we’re going to crush crooked Joe Biden next November,” Trump declared at a rally in Iowa, emphasizing his strong standing in polls and projecting confidence about his performance in New Hampshire and nationwide.
