Trump thanks Iowa after taking first step to nomination
Former US president Donald Trump easily won the first Republican Party presidential nomination contest of this year, securing a critical victory in the Iowa caucuses.
Mr Trump garnered 51 per cent of the vote, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis came in second with 21 per cent and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley won 19 per cent, according to Edison Research.
“THANK YOU IOWA, I LOVE YOU ALL!!!” Trump wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, after Monday’s caucuses. Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy ended his presidential bid after winning just under 8 per cent of the vote and endorsed Mr Trump.
Although Iowa’s delegate share is well short of the more than 1,200 needed to secure the nomination, the nation’s first contest is seen as a crucial test as to which candidate has the momentum.
“The people of Iowa sent a clear message tonight: Donald Trump will be the next Republican nominee for president,” said Alex Pfeiffer, communications director for Make America Great Again (Maga) Inc.
Before the race was called, entrance polling conducted by AP showed that a majority of caucus-goers identified with the “Maga movement”.
Republicans casting their ballot generally want the US to be less involved in world affairs, according to findings from AP VoteCast.
Half of the respondents believe the US should be less active in resolving global issues, compared to two in 10 who say the US should be more engaged.
About two thirds of voters also favoured backing Israel in its war against Hamas. Meanwhile, six in 10 opposed giving more aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Most voters found immigration and the economy to be the top issues facing the US today, AP’s VoteCast found. About four in 10 voters believed immigration to be the most important issue, compared to a third who said it was the economy.
A majority of those who found immigration and the economy to be their biggest issue backed Mr Trump in Iowa’s caucuses.
Iowa’s record as a precursor for the eventual nominee is spotty, particularly in the Republican Party.
George W Bush won the caucus on his way to the presidency in 2000. Mr Trump also won it in 2020, when he was the incumbent.
The candidates immediately move on to New Hampshire. The state’s more moderate Republicans will choose their nominee on Tuesday and polls show Mr Trump with a much smaller lead over Ms Haley there, and Mr DeSantis far behind.