During the 2024 Republican presidential nominating calendar, former President Donald Trump emerged victorious in the Iowa caucuses, securing a commanding lead with 51% of the vote, surpassing the previous winning margin set in 1988 by the late Sen. Bob Dole.
The Fox News Decision Desk declared Trump’s victory at 8:31 pm ET, merely half an hour after the caucuses commenced across the Hawkeye State. In a post-victory interview with Fox News Digital’s Brooke x Singman, Trump expressed gratitude, acknowledging his “very credible” and “great competition” rivals.
Accompanied by a photo shared by his campaign senior adviser, Chris LaCivita, Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., celebrated backstage at the Iowa campaign caucus night headquarters. Meanwhile, the battle for second place unfolded, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis narrowly edging out former ambassador to the United Nations and ex-South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, as projected by the Fox News Decision Desk.
In a conciliatory victory speech in Des Moines, Trump extended his thanks to both DeSantis and Haley, emphasizing their competence, “I want to thank Ron and Nikki for having a good time together. We’re all having a good time together. I think they both actually did very well.”
Multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who campaigned extensively across Iowa, suspended his campaign after finishing a distant fourth place. Ramaswamy, recognizing Trump’s triumph, called the former president to congratulate him and pledged his full endorsement, highlighting the need for an “America First” candidate.
“There needs to be an America First candidate in this race,” Ramaswamy asserted. “Going forward, he will have my full endorsement for the presidency.”
Trump’s victory in Iowa sets a tone for the upcoming primaries, solidifying his frontrunner status. With DeSantis acknowledging the challenges faced during the campaign, stating, “They threw everything but the kitchen sink at us,” and Haley framing the race as a two-person contest, the battles for second and third place highlight the competition within the Republican field.
The win marks a historic moment in Iowa’s Republican presidential caucuses, showcasing the largest margin in history and reinforcing Trump’s aspirations to return to the White House.