Donald Trump further paves his way to becoming the Republican presidential candidate after a decisive win at the party’s Iowa caucus.
Trump, who currently faces four criminal cases, won more than 50% of the vote, with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (45) in second place, followed closely by former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley (51).
Caucuses and primaries determine how many delegates each candidate has at the party’s national convention in July, when the Republican presidential candidate is chosen.
While Trump (77) was the heavy favourite entering the contest, the margin of his victory was unprecedented. Previously, the record for an Iowa Republican caucus was held by Bob Dole who won with a 12.8% margin in 1988.
Speaking to the crowd, after his eventual victory became clear, Trump hit his usual talking points including the well-debunked conspiracy theory that the 2020 election was somehow stolen from him.
The former president vowed to stop the “invasion” of migrants at the Mexico border and “drill baby drill” for oil.
He also claimed he would “solve” the wars in Ukraine and Palestine, “very fast.”
He is now forecast to secure 20 delegates in Iowa, with Ron DeSantis on eight and Nikki Haley on seven, according to NBC News.
President Joe Biden posted on X that the former reality TV star is “the clear front runner on the other side” to face him in this year’s presidential election.
“This election was always going to be you and me vs. extreme MAGA Republicans. It was true yesterday and it’ll be true tomorrow,” said Mr Biden.
Ron DeSantis, who came in distant second, remained optimistic about his chances of making it to the White House.
He assured his supporters that he would bring a “restoration of sanity” and would restore the “sacred fire of liberty.”
“As the next president of the United States, I will get the job done for this country,” DeSantis said.
Third place Nikki Haley told supporters that the race was between herself and Trump.
“When you look at how we’re doing, in New Hampshire, in South Carolina and beyond, I can safely say tonight Iowa made this Republican primary a two-person race,” she said.
The winner of Iowa’s Republican caucus failed to secure the nomination in 2008, 2012 and 2016.
The next Republican vote takes place in New Hampshire on 23rd January.
