Staff Reports
The Washington Examiner reported that Iowa’s recent caucuses turned into a classic Trump victory – almost. The former president, Donald Trump, swept through 98 out of 99 Iowa counties, leaving his Republican rivals in the dust. But one pesky county, Johnson County, threw a wrench in Trump’s plans for a clean sweep. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley managed to clinch a victory in Johnson County by a mere one vote, earning herself a place in the history books by being the only GOP primary competitor to win a county during the caucuses.
The results, which came in just 30 minutes after the caucuses began, caused a stir among voters who hadn’t even made up their minds about the candidate they wanted to support. The former president stormed to victory with a commanding 51% of the vote, trouncing Governor Ron DeSantis and Ambassador Haley, who secured 21.2% and 19.1% of the vote, respectively. This win for Trump marked the largest margin of victory in Iowa caucus history, topping former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole’s 1988 win by 12.8 points.
President Trump in Iowa: "I really think this is time now for everybody — our country, to come together." pic.twitter.com/32rlyqy2yb
— MAGA War Room (@MAGAIncWarRoom) January 16, 2024
In response to his victory, Trump called for unity within the GOP, setting his sights on the upcoming New Hampshire primary. He avoided his usual brand of derogatory rhetoric against his fellow Republicans, praising both DeSantis and Haley for their performance and emphasizing the need for unity in tackling the world’s problems.
As the race shifts to New Hampshire, Haley is feeling the pressure to perform well against Trump, especially with the large independent voter population in the Granite State. With Trump still leading his competitors in New Hampshire, Haley will have to put on a strong showing to have a shot at slowing down Trump’s momentum towards securing the GOP nomination.
In the end, Iowa proved to be a nearly spotless victory for Trump, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown between the former president and his Republican challengers as the 2024 nominating calendar rolls on.
