What his major victory in the Iowa Caucuses implies for his opponents

What his major victory in the Iowa Caucuses implies for his opponents

What his major victory in the Iowa Caucuses implies for his opponents

In the history of the Iowa Caucuses, this triumph may have been the least unexpected.

It was as easy a margin of victory for Donald Trump in the first round in the Republican fight for the presidential nomination as pollsters had anticipated for months.

However, the former president was not the only one rejoicing on Monday night—his followers had withstood bitter weather to gift him victory—as he dominated the vote total.

The non-Trump vote is still split since none of Mr. Trump's primary opponents, Nikki Haley nor Ron DeSantis, emerged as a formidable foe. In the meanwhile, Vivek Ramaswamy, his most ideologically comparable opponent, said he was withdrawing and would support Mr. Trump on Tuesday in New Hampshire.

Here's a deeper look at the significance of the Iowa results in the presidential contest.

It remains the party of Donald Trump.

The triumph of Mr. Trump in Iowa was historic. In all 99 of Iowa's counties, he received the most votes (he lost the remaining 99 by a single vote).

There has never been a winner of an Iowa campaign by a margin greater than twelve points; Mr. Trump's advantage may approach thirty percent and he could win with an absolute majority of Republicans.

After almost every vote was tallied, Mr. Trump had 51% of the total, Mr. DeSantis had 21%, and Ms. Haley had 19%.

One reason why his effort for reelection has been successful so far is because it is based on a poll of Iowans who participated in the caucuses on Monday night.

As to CBS News, the US partner of the BBC, about 50% of Republican attendees at the caucuses identify as supporters of Trump's "Make America Great Again" initiative.

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Additionally, Mr. Trump's win was all-encompassing. He won over both men and women, young and old. Additionally, he gained support from hard-right conservatives and evangelicals, two groups he found challenging to win over in 2016.

Usually, losing presidential candidates never recover from the taint of loss and their memories fade. But Mr. Trump has succeeded in persuading Republicans that he has won, both nationally and in Iowa.

According to CBS, a significant portion of Iowans who attended the caucuses expressed confidence in Mr. Trump as the true victor of the 2020 presidential contest; among Trump loyalists, this belief increased to 90%.

Trump's win represents a stunning comeback.

While Mr. Trump's dominance inside the Republican Party is undeniable, his triumph here is remarkable in the broader context of contemporary American politics.

His first tenure as president ended in scandal three years before, with the January 6 Capitol riot stemming from his attempt to overturn his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the race. As a result of his acts, he is charged with two crimes.

He has now made a significant first step toward representing the Republican Party as the candidate for president in November, having emerged victorious in the Iowa caucuses.

In the Iowa Caucuses, DeSantis defeats Haley to take second place.

After leaving, Vivek Ramaswamy backed Trump.

Trump still has to put in more effort to become the face of the Republican Party. Next week, in New Hampshire, where polls indicate his once-dominant advantage has shrunk to almost single digits, he will face a more formidable opponent in Ms. Haley.

Nevertheless, he remains the front-runner in the contest, having received the support of real Republican voters throughout his primary.

From Iowa, no obvious competitor emerged.

Much of the electoral suspense before into Monday's Iowa caucuses centered about who would come in behind Mr. Trump. Ultimately, Mr. DeSantis emerged victorious as the runner-up.

That is quite an accomplishment, however, given how closely the Florida governor defeated Ms. Haley after devoting a significant amount of time and money to Iowa.

The results and Mr. DeSantis' promise to go on with his campaign won't provide the type of definitive conclusion that would prepare him for a showdown with Trump in the days ahead.

As the Republican primary process moves forward, Trump's divide-and-conquer tactic is still in full effect, which might actually make his win all the more potent.

The former president would enter the race unopposed since Mr. Trump is reportedly the second pick of Mr. Ramaswamy's followers, according to surveys. Even though Mr. Ramaswamy only garnered 8% of the vote in Iowa, every endorsement matters, and this one will give Mr. Trump more media attention in New Hampshire.

The former president will also be able to concentrate on President Biden, something he excitedly discussed in his victory address on Monday night, thanks to the Iowa outcome. Democrats, for their part, are unhappy with this display and Mr. Trump's deterioration, appreciating the chance to exploit both.

But a run of stunning wins, beginning in Iowa, will give the former president confidence and a victorious aura. As the fall 2019 Lok Sabha elections get near, Mr. Trump could turn out to be a more dangerous foe than he had anticipated or wished for.