WHY OH IOWA?
»»Tycoon in landslide state nominee win »»But he then has to face rape accuser in court
DONALD Trump started his bid to become the Republican presidential nominee with a landslide win in Iowa state.
The former president cemented his place as the party’s frontrunner for this November’s election, putting him on a collision course with nemesis Joe Biden.
Trump, 77, won more than half of the votes to beat rivals Ron Desantis and Nikki Haley in the first major contest of the US presidential primary season and vowed to “take America back”.
Yet hours later came a reminder of the legal troubles he faces, as he arrived at a New York court to face a writer who accuses him of rape.
A civil trial jury found him liable last year for sexually abusing and defaming magazine columnist E Jean Carroll, awarding her $5million (€4.6million).
CHARGES
The latest trial relates to denials in 2019, when he was president, accusing Carroll, 80, of making up the allegations to sell books.
Hours before arriving at court, he risked a further suit by claiming her allegations were “pure fiction”.
He wrote on his Truth Social network: “After a historic win in Iowa, I am going to the Biden encouraged Witch Hunt in Lower Manhattan to fight against a FAKE Case from a woman I have never met, seen, or touched.”
Trump’s Iowa win puts America on notice just how strong Trump’s grip on Republicans remains.
He is desperate to be their man in the November 5 presidential election, which would be fraught with complexities as both men, notably Biden, 81, increasingly suffer from age-related issues.
Both politicians would be the oldest president ever to win an election.
And while Biden – who, if he
would be 86 by the time his second term finished – has been seen to commit several gaffes and stumbles, Trump has 91 criminal charges against him.
The age factor is shaping up as an important issue in a possible rematch of their first presidential battle in 2020, which Trump
lican rivals have used the issue against him. His pending court cases and own mistakes on the campaign trail, however, had little effect on Iowa voters.
I’m A Celebrity contestant Nigel Farage made a surprise appearance
at a party celebrating Trump’s win. The former UKIP leader said it showed his friend was on track for a repeat of the 2020 fight against Biden. He added: “I can’t see it being Biden,” pointing to the president’s falling approval ratings.
Those who ventured out – the turnout was the lowest in 25 years – delivered a roughly 30 percentage point win for Trump that smashed the record for a contested Iowa Republican caucus. The previous
biggest margin was Bob Dole’s nearly 13 percentage point victory in 1988.
The results gave Trump a tighter grip on the nomination.
However, it could take several months for anyone to become the party’s standard bearer formally.
The Republican contest moves swiftly to New Hampshire, which will hold its primary next week.