Trump wins in Iowa as Republican contest kicks off 2024 presidential race

In the initial election of 2024 in the United States, Donald Trump emerged as the victor, with little challenge from the limited pool of Republicans who could not muster up enough momentum against the overwhelming popularity of the former president.

As many people in the state were still voting, the Associated Press quickly declared Trump the winner of the race, indicating that he had a significant lead.

There was a fierce competition between Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley for the second spot. In a surprising outcome, Ron DeSantis won. He employed the traditional Iowa approach by visiting all 99 counties in Florida while campaigning with the hope that the voters there would reward him, just like they have previously done with other candidates. On the other hand, Nikki Haley was perceived as the more moderate pick by the Republicans, with a higher chance of winning the general election against Joe Biden compared to her counterparts from the right.

DeSantis's campaign may gain more traction following his surprisingly impressive performance, although he remains far behind Trump who has a significant advantage.

DeSantis and Haley scored much higher than the other three candidates, who didn't manage to reach double-digit percentages. Vivek Ramaswamy, a businessman, was ahead of the other two candidates in this less well-known group, which included former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson and pastor Ryan Binkley.

On Monday, people from Iowa came together at different venues such as schools, libraries, community centers, and a grain elevator to discuss among themselves which candidates would be the most suitable for the Republicans.

The weather was the main focus over the weekend in Iowa's caucuses, rather than the expected winner. People who attended the caucuses had to brave harsh elements such as extremely cold temperatures, strong and cold winds, and large amounts of snow that made it difficult to get to their designated caucus areas.

Many people continue to support Trump, despite his legal troubles and the potential threat to democracy. One of these supporters is Ron Osborn, a retired farmer from Malcolm, Iowa, who voted for Trump because he believed in him.

"I believe that he is the sole contestant capable of defeating the Democratic Party who are accused of being dishonest," expressed the septuagenarian.

People who decided to vote for different candidates expressed their weariness with the chaos that seems to follow Trump wherever he goes. These voters are hoping to make progress without all the distracting politics that Trump has become known for. One such voter is Kent Christen from Cedar Rapids, who supported DeSantis. According to Christen, Trump appears to be an agent of chaos, and he's just had enough of it. He's simply tired with how that seems to be the norm when it comes to Trump.

The competition in Iowa marks the beginning of the 2024 election season, which may see Trump and Biden facing each other once again. With verbal attacks on officials and judges on the rise, there are concerns about political violence during the election.

As the first Republican election approached, the competition decreased, but Trump remained the front-runner. His passionate supporters attended rallies and worked tirelessly, ignoring the legal problems and severe language utilized by the former president during the campaign. Trump promised to focus on vengeance against his opponents for a second term as president.

Now it's time to turn the attention to New Hampshire, which is the next election for Republicans. Even though the Democrats are not participating in the granite state, they have picked South Carolina as their first official competition. However, the candidates who are competing against the current president are still in the running there.

Reporting was provided by Chris Stein.