Trump will win Iowa Republican caucuses, CNN projects
Originally Published: 15 JAN 24 20:31 ET
Updated: 15 JAN 24 20:40 ET
By Gregory Krieg, CNN
(CNN) — Former President Donald Trump will win the Iowa caucuses, CNN projects, solidifying his place as the front-runner for the 2024 Republican nomination as he attempts a historic political comeback nearly three years after leaving the White House in disgrace.
Trump’s victory in this, his first election since losing to Joe Biden in 2020, put to bed any lingering questions about his hold over the GOP and the potency of his right-wing message.
The result also puts added pressure on Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley ahead of next week’s contest in New Hampshire, where Haley is hoping to impress among a more ideologically diverse primary electorate. The Iowa outcome is a deeper cut for DeSantis, who along with aligned outside groups spent heavily in the state hoping to overtake Trump and signal a changing of the guard in national Republican politics.
It was not to be. Determined to avoid the disappointment of eight years ago, when he finished second behind Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the caucuses, Trump’s campaign invested in an estimable ground game. The focus: finding and turning out new voters.
“Other candidates are betting on turning out existing caucus-goers,” a senior Trump campaign official told CNN last month. “Our focus is on finding and creating first-time caucus-goers.”
The snow and freezing temperatures ahead of the caucuses likely complicated those efforts and it is unclear, for now, how much of a role the new strategy played in delivering the state to Trump.
There is no doubt, however, that the Republican nomination – which would be a remarkable third in three tries – is now in sight for the former president
This story has been updated with additional information.
The-CNN-Wire
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