Donald Trump won the Republican primary in Iowa on Monday evening, American media announced barely half an hour after the start of voting, consolidating his status as the big favorite of the right for the November presidential election.
According to CNN, the 77-year-old mogul, four times criminally charged, leaves his main rivals Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis far behind, even if the results are still temporary.
Despite the snowstorm that hit the Midwestern state and raised fears about participation, the ex-president is getting a little closer, even if long months still separate the country from the presidential election, a probable duel with Democrat Joe Biden.
Donald Trump, who according to the polls had one of the largest leads ever seen over his opponents (nearly 50% of voting intentions), had predicted to his supporters a “tremendous” evening, assuring that he would win ” easily “.
By 7 p.m. local time, voters had gathered at schools, libraries and fire stations across Iowa for the famous “caucuses,” or election meetings.
After a prayer and a recitation of the traditional pledge of allegiance to the American flag, representatives gave a speech in favor of their champion before participants wrote their choice on a piece of paper.
“I’m here for Trump, absolutely,” said Kevin Yearington, a local election official.
“I’m tired of paying more for groceries and gas. Inflation is out of control here,” he added, complaining about the Biden administration.
This is the first time since the 2020 election that Donald Trump faced the judgment of voters.
This first moment of truth of the campaign weighs heavily: if the former president had not obtained the announced victory in Iowa, his image of invincibility risked being damaged for the rest of the race.
Starting next week, the highly orchestrated ballet of the primaries will take the candidates to New Hampshire, before, in turn, each of the 50 states votes until June.
In their sights, the national convention in July, which will officially nominate the Republican presidential candidate.
The race for second
Another big issue in this crucial vote: second place. For now, Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis are fighting it out, according to media projections.
Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, the only woman in the race, has benefited from a recent rise in the polls.
The fifty-year-old is the new darling of the right, very appreciated in particular by business circles.
As for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a forty-year-old conservative with shocking positions on immigration or abortion, he has bet everything on Iowa, traveling in recent months to each of the 99 counties.
“I ask you to come out, brave the cold and support me during the Iowa caucus,” he told his supporters Monday morning.
Because a last minute unknown factor disrupted the equation: the cold.
The state has been hit by a snowstorm and the thermometer is expected to touch -30°C at the time of the vote, with icy roads.
Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy throws in the towel and calls for voting for Trump
Des Moines | Republican candidate for the White House Vivek Ramaswamy announced Monday evening that he was dropping out of the race and supporting Donald Trump, winner of the Republican primary in Iowa.
“We are going to suspend this presidential campaign,” launched the man who obtained around 7% of the votes according to provisional results. “There is no possible path for me to be the next president (…). I called Donald Trump to tell him that I congratulated him on his victory and that from now on he would have my full support for the presidency,” he added.
Trump’s Iowa victory makes him ‘clear favorite’ of Republicans, says Biden
Washington | Donald Trump’s dazzling victory in Iowa makes him the “clear favorite” of the Republicans in the presidential election, Joe Biden, himself a candidate for re-election, said on Monday.
“He is the clear favorite of the other camp at this stage,” he said on the social network X, in a message calling for donations.
