Iowa caucus recap: Trump dominates, DeSantis edges Haley for second
Donald Trump dominated the 2024 Iowa Republican caucuses.
With 97% of the votes counted at 11:15 p.m., the former president sat at 51.1%, a mark that would smash the record for a contested Iowa Republican caucus with a margin of victory exceeding the nearly 13 percentage points that Bob Dole won by in 1988.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (21.2%) finished a distant second ahead of former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley (19.1%).
Numbers aren't final yet, but Trump looks like he's finished first in 98 of Iowa's 99 counties. With 99% of votes counted in Johnson County, according to AP, he finished second to Haley â by one vote, 1,271 to 1,270.
Scroll down for a recap of Monday night's caucuses:
FULL 2024 IOWA CAUCUS RESULTS
Republican candidates depart Iowa early Tuesday, heading to New Hampshire for next week's primary
Candidates didn't waste much time getting out of the state.
Watch the video below from the Des Moines airport as candidates, campaigns and national media took off for New Hampshire.
Watch: Donald Trump speaks in Des Moines after winning 2024 Iowa caucuses
Trump is celebrating his Iowa win.
The former president was flanked on stage by members of his family and senior campaign staff, as well as members of Congress and other supporters who traveled to Iowa to campaign by his side.
He began his remarks with a conciliatory tone, saying itâs time for the country to come together.
Trump offered a shout-out to DeSantis and Haley, whom he has skewered on the trail.
âI want to congratulate Ron and Nikki for having a good time together,â he quipped.
Hear from Iowa A.G. Brenna Bird, who Donald Trump said could be Iowa governor someday
In his speech Monday night after winning the Iowa caucuses, Donald Trump thanked supporters who were lined up on stage with him, including Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird.
"One woman in Iowa who really stepped up was your attorney general," Trump said.
"Glad to do it," she said while hugging the former president. "We need you."
"She's gonna be your governor someday, I predict," Trump said.
Asked about the comment later Monday night by ÌÇĐÄvlog's Todd Magel, Bird said: "That was a kind thing for him to say. ... I'm pretty focused on my current job. ... We have a great governor in Kim Reynolds."
DeSantis takes second place in Iowaâs caucuses; Haley says third-place finish shows momentum
The Associated Press has determined that DeSantis will finish in a distant second in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of Haley and behind Trump.
With an estimated 10% of ballots remaining to be counted around 10:20 p.m., DeSantis leads Haley by approximately 2,300 votes, or about 2 percentage points.
With votes reported in all but one of Iowaâs 99 counties, Haley isnât doing well enough anywhere to catch DeSantis, based on the number of outstanding votes.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks in Des Moines after finishing second in Iowa caucuses
Haley didnât get the second-place finish she was hoping for, but she told Iowa caucusgoers that her standing shows her campaign has momentum.
The former U.N. ambassador noted that she went from low single-digit support when she entered the race to placing third in Iowa. She told a packed ballroom at her caucus night headquarters that Iowans had given her the sort of results that would enable her to run a campaign that would make them proud.
âWhen you look at how well weâre doing in New Hampshire, in South Carolina and beyond, I can safely say tonight Iowa made this Republican primary a two-person race,â Haley said.
Haley heads Monday night to New Hampshire, which holds the countryâs first-in-the-nation GOP primary on Jan. 23.
Nikki Haley speaks in Des Moines after third-place finish in Iowa caucuses
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends campaign, endorses Donald Trump
Vivek Ramaswamy says he's ending his Republican presidential bid after a disappointing finish in Iowa. Ramaswamy made the announcement Monday, following a fourth-place finish in Iowa, pledging his support to frontrunner Donald Trump.
Trump, DeSantis, Haley awarded first delegates of 2024
The Associated Press has allocated 16 of Iowaâs 40 delegates to Trump and four delegates each to Haley and DeSantis. These two dozen delegates represent 60% of the stateâs total. Delegates will cast their votes at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this summer.
The way delegates are awarded differs by state, and in Iowa, the delegates are awarded proportionally based on the statewide vote. There are no minimum thresholds candidates need to reach in order to win delegates in Iowa. As of 9:05 p.m., with nearly 40% of the expected vote counted, Trump is receiving a majority of the vote. Based on the APâs analysis of the initial vote and its AP VoteCast survey, Trump will win at least 40% of the vote in Iowa, and DeSantis and Haley will each win at least 10%.
The AP will allocate the stateâs remaining delegates as more of the vote is counted.
Trump not these Iowans' first choice, but will they support him if he gets nomination?
Most Trump supporters in Iowa caucuses say they knew theyâd support him all along, AP VoteCast shows
In some ways, Iowaâs Republican caucuses were practically over before they began, with Donald Trump cultivating a deep network of support over three presidential runs.
About 7 in 10 Iowans who caucused for Trump on Monday night said they have known all along that they would support a man who has remade the Republican Party through his âMake America Great Againâ political movement. Trump was carried to victory by the majority of caucusgoers who say they back it, a sign of his growing influence in a state that denied him a victory eight years ago.
A silent victory party
Typically, attendees at political victory parties assemble early to watch the results come in and erupt in cheers when their candidate wins.
But the call declaring Trump the winner of Iowaâs caucuses came so early that the former president wasnât on site yet and his invited guests hadnât yet arrived. So round cocktail tables draped with black tablecloths stood empty and bottles of wine and beer sat on ice awaiting the start of the party.
Trump is expected to speak later Monday night at the Iowa Events Center venue, flanked by many American flags.
First-time caucusgoer votes for DeSantis, citing economic concerns
Spencer Cook, a 24-year-old commodity trader, attended his first caucus on Monday night and voted for DeSantis.
Cook said he was motivated above all else by boosting the economy, which he said is âa little bit stagnant right now.â He said his salary doesnât go as far as it did when he started his first job a year and a half ago.
âBuying a house for someone my age is really tough,â Cook said at his caucus site in Waukee. âInterest rates are high. Housing prices are really high.â
Lifelong Iowa Democrat registers as Republican Monday to support Haley
Carol Hendrick is a lifelong Iowa Democrat, but she registered as a Republican on Monday night so she could caucus for Haley.
Hendrick said just before the GOP hopeful spoke at her caucus site in Des Moines that she would do âanything I could doâ to keep Trump from becoming president again.
âHer doing well makes Trump look worse,â Hendrick said. âI do wish her well. Sheâs an accomplished person.â
Hendrick said she would back Democrat Joe Biden in the general election, even if Haley won the Republican nomination.
Haley appeals to voters who want to âmove forward with no more vendettasâ
Haley has added a forward-looking wind-up to her standard campaign speech that seemed to graze Trump.
âIf you want to move forward with no more vendettas, if you want to move forward with a sense of hope, join us in this caucus,â she said. âI ask for your vote. And I promise you I will make sure every day I focus on what it takes to make you proud.â
Several hundred people at the Horizon Events Center rose to their feet in applause.
Whatâs next for Trump?
The magnitude of Trumpâs success is still coming into focus and it is not immediately clear who will emerge as the second-place finisher.
But Trump was already looking ahead to a potential general election matchup against President Joe Biden as he addressed hundreds of cheering supporters at a caucus site at the Horizon Events Center in Clive, Iowa.
âHe is totally destroying our country,â Trump said of Biden.
Trump is expected to fly to New York Monday night so he can be in court Tuesday as a jury is poised to consider whether he should pay additional damages to a columnist who last year won a $5 million jury award against Trump for sex abuse and defamation.
He will then fly to New Hampshire, the next state in the Republican primary calendar, to hold a rally Tuesday evening.
WATCH: Trump's initial thoughts after being named winner of Iowa caucuses
First results posted in under 30 minutes; AP calls race for Trump shortly after
Trump has won Iowaâs leadoff presidential caucuses, giving him a strong start in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination. His rivals are jostling for second place, hoping for a bump heading into New Hampshireâs first-in-the-nation primary on Jan. 23.
The Associated Press declared Trump the winner of the Iowa caucuses based on an analysis of early returns as well as results of AP VoteCast, a survey of voters who planned to caucus on Monday night. Both showed Trump with an insurmountable lead.
Initial results from eight counties showed Trump with far more than half of the total votes counted as of 7:31 p.m. with the rest of the field trailing far behind. These counties include rural areas that are demographically and politically similar to a large number of counties that have yet to report.
Caucuses open right at 7 p.m.
Iowaâs Republican caucuses begin as the 2024 GOP presidential primary gets underway.
GOP candidates' 'closing arguments'
ÌÇĐÄvlog asked each of the six GOP candidates for a final interview â a sort of final pitch to Iowa voters before they head out to caucus Monday night. Donald Trump declined.
Hear closing arguments from:
What time do Iowa caucuses start?
The Republican caucuses will convene statewide at 7 p.m. local time Monday and begin with the election of a caucus chair and secretary. Get more about caucus timing and order of events.
Republican Party of Iowa chairman: Iowa isn't supposed to predict the next president
Republican Party of Iowa chairman Jeff Kaufmann opened the evening at 5 p.m. with remarks from the Media Filing Center at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.
"We're not supposed to pick the next president of the United States," he said. "I hear that all the time â 'Iowa's not very predictive.' We're not supposed to be. If we were predictive why would we need 55 other contests in order to determine who our nominee is?"
Hear more from Kaufmann:
ÌÇĐÄvlog programming note for Monday: NFL game, live caucus coverage
Due to weather conditions, the NFL playoff game between the Steelers and Bills will now take place Monday at 3:30 p.m. This will impact our Commitment 2024 caucus coverage.
The game will air on our main channel 8.1.
We will air our 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts on MeTV, channel 8.2, Monday, with our Commitment 2024 live caucus coverage following at 6:30.
Our caucus coverage, which will stream in full at ÌÇĐÄvlog.com and on our app, will then move to 8.1 as soon as the game's over.
Eric Trump in Iowa on Caucus Day: 'You want to win by a big margin'
Eric Trump was in Des Moines for Caucus Day to support his father's campaign. He said the Trump family has "nostalgia" for Iowa, where Donald Trump finished second in 2016 to Ted Cruz before winning the party nomination â and eventually the presidency. Eric Trump wants to leave no doubt Monday night: "You want to win by a big margin. You want to end the Republican primaries here."
Hear more from Eric Trump:
Haley wins over an undecided caucusgoer
Nikki Haley is making her case to some last-minute undecided caucusgoers â and winning over at least one.
During her third stop of a final pre-caucus push in PBâs Pub, Haley asked for a showing of hands from those who hadnât yet made up thseir minds.
âWeâve got one guy,â she said, seeing Chris Varney raise his hand in the back.
After giving brief remarks and telling Iowans that âItâs go time,â Varney got a chance to speak with Haley.
âOK, she got me,â Varney said, prompting cheers from other attendees.
âThe world is counting on Iowa,â Kari Lake says
Dozens of Trump supporters are gathered at ShinyTop Brewing in Fort Dodge to get up close and personal with some of the former presidentâs best-known endorsers, including Reps. Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor Greene, as well as U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake of Arizona.
âI want to tell you how much the world is counting on Iowa tonight,â Lake told the crowd. She added: âWhat youâre going to do tonight is youâre going to help save this world.â
Republican presidential candidates make last pitch to Iowa voters ahead of caucuses
Candidates were out and about Monday morning in various parts of the state, trying one last time to convince Iowa Republicans to caucus for them.
See more in the video below.
Catching up with undecided Iowa Republicans
ÌÇĐÄvlog met with many undecided Iowa Republicans through our Coffee with the Candidates series of conversations with GOP candidates. ÌÇĐÄvlog chief political reporter Amanda Rooker caught up with five of those Republicans to see if they had made up their minds ahead of Monday's caucuses.
Hear from each of them:
Iowa caucus forecast: Coldest caucuses ever
Monday's Iowa caucuses will be the coldest in modern history.
Skies will be dry across the state, but the arctic air and frigid breeze will be brutal. We hit 1 degree Monday in Des Moines, but the wind chill stayed well below zero. It'll be -7 when caucuses start at 7 p.m. and will feel closer to -30.
Des Moines high, low temperatures each caucus day since 1972
- Feb. 3, 2020: 36°/29°
- Feb. 1, 2016: 47°/27°
- Jan. 3, 2012: 40°/10°
- Jan. 3, 2008: 30°/4°
- Jan. 19, 2004: 16°* (Coldest high)/2°
- Jan. 24, 2000: 41°/5°
- Feb. 12, 1996: 30°/22°
- Feb. 10, 1992: 44°/24°
- Feb. 8, 1988: 36°/10°
- Feb. 20, 1984: 49°/22°
- Jan. 21, 1980: 33°/24°
- Jan. 19, 1976: 42°/7°
- Jan. 24, 1972: 25°/-4°* (Coldest low)
Coldest caucus: Will Iowaâs deep freeze influence turnout for the caucuses?
The weather has also impacted major roads throughout the state. ÌÇĐÄvlog's Scott Carpenter hit the road early Monday morning to take a closer look at conditions. Watch the video below for more.
Caucus day has arrived
ÌÇĐÄvlog's Alyssa Gomez was at the Iowa Events Center bright and early Monday morning to report from the caucus media headquarters.
WHY IS IOWA FIRST? Here's how Iowa caucuses became first in the nation
What is a caucus?
A political caucus is a gathering of people with a shared interest or goal. The Iowa caucuses are a series of local meetings held throughout the state where participants conduct party business and usually indicate their preference for a presidential nominee to represent the party on the November ballot. Itâs also the first step in a months-long process to select people to serve as delegates to the national party conventions this summer.
How are caucuses different from primaries?
One of the main differences between caucuses and primaries is the amount of time allotted for voting to occur and the methods by which people can vote. In a primary, people can show up at the polls and cast ballots throughout Election Day, from the early morning until polls close in the evening. They have the option of casting an absentee ballot if they canât make it to the polls on Election Day, and in some states, people may vote before Election Day. The Iowa caucuses, on the other hand, are held in the evening and voters must attend in person in order to participate, except in a few isolated instances. Caucuses are run by political parties, whereas primaries are usually (but not always) run by the state.
How will the Republican caucuses work in 2024?
There will be two main agenda items at every Republican caucus site: holding a binding vote for the partyâs presidential nominee and electing delegates to attend county conventions, which is the next step in the multi-tiered process of electing delegates to attend the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this summer.
The binding presidential vote functions essentially like a party-run primary, only with very limited polling hours and no accommodation for absentee voting, except for a tiny handful of overseas and military voters. There are speeches on behalf of various candidates before the voting and a variety of party business after the vote. Individual caucus chairs are allowed to exercise some discretion in how to conduct the vote, but the voting is done by secret ballot and there is no set list of candidates. Voters must be given the option to vote for any candidate they choose. In the past, some caucus sites have pre-printed the names of major candidates and provided a write-in option, but typically, voters vote by writing the name of a candidate on a blank slip of paper.
There is no walking around the caucus room to form candidate preference groups. That voting method was a feature of Democratic caucuses from 1972 to 2020 but is no longer in use by either party in 2024.
The Republican caucuses will convene statewide at 7 p.m. local time (8 p.m. EST), and begin with the election of a caucus chair and secretary. Only registered Republicans may participate in the caucuses and only in their designated home precincts. However, Iowans may register or change their party affiliation on caucus day. Voters must turn 18 by the November general election in order to participate.
Watch: Political analyst Marc Sandalow weighs in on importance of Iowa caucuses
Marc Sandalow is a political analyst and the San Francisco Chronicle's former Washington Bureau chief. He talked to ÌÇĐÄvlog about the importance of the Iowa caucuses and what he sees as the two biggest stories from Monday night: if Trump meets expectations and wins Iowa by double-digits, and if Nikki Haley really has passed Ron DeSantis.
Watch our full interview with Sandalow:
Iowa Republican leader predicts ârobustâ caucus turnout
Iowa Republican Party Chair Jeff Kaufmann is feeling more optimistic about caucus turnout than he was a few days ago.
âIf you would have asked me this and the caucuses would have been two days ago, I would have said we would have significantly less turnout,â Kaufmann told reporters at a briefing hosted by Bloomberg on Sunday.
Clear skies Sunday that helped create conditions for crews to clear the roads bolstered his confidence. He said he was more concerned about icy roads than about low temperatures, which he said Iowans were accustomed to.
Without putting an exact number on it, Kauffman said, âI think itâs going to be a robust turnout.â
Coldest caucus: Will Iowaâs deep freeze influence turnout for the caucuses?
IOWA CAUCUS LINKS:
- 2024 US presidential caucuses, primaries, explained
- Maps: A look at Iowa caucus results from the past 20 years
- How will the Iowa Republican caucuses work in 2024?
- How will the Iowa Democratic caucuses work in 2024?
- 2024 will likely be the coldest caucuses ever
Trump urges voters not to let deep freeze â of anything else â keep them from caucusing
Heading into the caucuses, much of the focus has been on Donald Trumpâs strong standing. The surprise may ultimately be more about the turnout and who would benefit from the brutal winter storm limiting participation.
After all, the caucus isnât built for convenience. Those who participate must venture out after dark to one of 1,567 locations, almost always requiring a drive. The roads will be icy, the wind chill will be dozens of degrees below zero. Iowans are a famously hardy stock, but even they may flinch at venturing out in those conditions.
"Brave the weather and go out and save America," Trump said during a rally Sunday at Simpson College. "... You can't sit home. If you're sick as a dog you say, 'Darlin, I've got to make it.' Even if you vote and then pass away, it's worth it."
WATCH: ÌÇĐÄvlog chief political reporter Amanda Rooker explains the Iowa caucuses
Iowaâs Christian conservatives follow their faith when voting, and some say it leads them to Trump
Pastor Charles Hundley opened his worship service on a cold Sunday earlier this month in northeast Des Moines with a prayer that made it clear one endorsement above all will matter in Iowaâs caucuses.
âWe thank you for the upcoming election, Lord â or caucus, as we call it in Iowa,â said Hundley, speaking from the sanctuary of his evangelical Christian church in his slight Texas drawl as his parishioners bowed their heads.
âIt doesnât matter what our opinion is,â he went on. âItâs really whatâs your opinion that matters. But youâve given us the privilege of being able to exercise a beautiful gift. The gift of vote. We thank you for that.â
While Hundley stops short of suggesting to his parishioners which candidate divine guidance should lead them to support, he is among more than 300 pastors and other faith leaders whoâve been described as supporters by former President Donald Trumpâs campaign. Itâs a message that some members of Hundleyâs First Church of God have taken to heart, saying their faith informs their intention to caucus for Trump.
Last Iowa Poll before caucuses
The final Des Moines Register/NBC News poll before Monday nightâs caucuses found former President Donald Trump maintaining a formidable lead, supported by nearly half of likely caucusgoers. Nikki Haley, the former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor, and Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor, remain locked in a close battle for second.
Watch Sunday's episode of ÌÇĐÄvlog's Close Up
COFFEE WITH THE CANDIDATES: All of our in-depth interviews with 2024 Republican presidential candidates
Trump on the record: Casey's makes good pizza
Donald Trump handed out boxes of Casey's pizza at Waukee Fire Department Sunday, then asked for a slice of his own, saying: âThis is good pizza, by the way."
DeSantis dons an overcoat days after leaving his at home
Ron DeSantis is wearing a winter coat again.
The Florida governor was bundled up at a campaign event in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, days after he left his coat at home in the Sunshine State when he was there delivering his State of the State address Tuesday.
âThis is my winter coat. I have not worn this since Iâve been governor once,â DeSantis said in Iowa.
He told a crowd at a construction contractors convention in Des Moines on Wednesday that his staff was hustling his coat from Tallahassee.
Important dates for 2024 presidential election
Iowa caucuses: Jan. 15
Super Tuesday: March 5, 2024
Republican National Convention: July 15-18 in Milwaukee
Democratic National Convention: Aug. 19-22 in Chicago
Election day: Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024
Whoâs running for president in 2024? Hereâs a rundown of the candidates
How will the Democratic caucuses work in 2024?
Iowa Democrats had to completely redo their caucus and presidential delegate selection process after their 2020 caucuses devolved into chaos and failed to produce a clear, undisputed winner.
This year, Iowa Democrats will still hold caucuses on the same day as Republicans, but unlike in previous years, caucus-goers will not vote or indicate their pick to represent the party on the November presidential ballot. Instead, they will vote for a party nominee through a mail-in voting process that begins Jan. 12 and concludes on March 5.
The Democratic caucuses on Jan. 15 will elect delegates to the county conventions in March, which is the next step in selecting the individuals to serve as delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August. National convention delegates will be required to vote for a presidential nominee in accordance with the results of the mail-in voting process.
Do the winners in Iowa and New Hampshire usually win the partyâs nomination?
Not necessarily. In 2020, Biden didnât win either Iowa or New Hampshire, but his campaign got a reset in South Carolina and he went on to the Democratic nomination and the White House.
In 2016, Donald Trump lost Iowa but won New Hampshire, similar to fellow Republican Mitt Romney in 2012.
In 2008, Democrat Barack Obama won Iowa, but lost New Hampshire. Republican John McCain lost Iowa that year but won New Hampshire.
The last candidate to win both in Iowa and New Hampshire and go on to the White House was Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1976, although he technically placed second in Iowa, behind âuncommitted.â
Iowa Republican caucus winners and who became GOP nominee
2020
- Trump ran for reelection
2016
- Iowa winner: Ted Cruz
- Eventual nominee: Donald Trump
2012
- Iowa winner: Rick Santorum
- Eventual nominee: Mitt Romney
2008
- Iowa winner: Mike Huckabee
- Eventual nominee: John McCain
2004
- Bush ran for reelection
2000
- Iowa winner: George W. Bush
- Eventual nominee: George W. Bush
1996
- Iowa winner: Bob Dole
- Eventual nominee: Bob Dole
1992
- Bush ran for reelection
1988
- Iowa winner: Bob Dole
- Eventual nominee: George H.W. Bush
1984
- Reagan ran for reelection
1980
- Iowa winner: George H.W. Bush
- Eventual nominee: Ronald Reagan
1976
- Iowa winner: Gerald Ford
- Eventual nominee: Gerald Ford
When will we know which candidate has enough delegates to be the partyâs nominee?
We will have to see how the primaries play out.
Keep an eye on Super Tuesday, March 5. While there wonât yet be enough delegates on the table to clinch the nomination, that is the night with the largest pot of delegates, where Republicans in 16 states and territories will vote for president.
It might take until May or June for one candidate to secure enough votes to win his or her partyâs nomination. The last presidential primaries occur on June 4.
An inside look at the different places thousands of Iowans will meet for the 2024 caucuses
ÌÇĐÄvlog caught up with local county GOP leaders to see what preparation looks like in the weeks and days before the Iowa caucuses. Take a look at how the caucuses come together: