Donald Trump wins Iowa Republican primary

Less than half an hour after the polls opened, major American media outlets declared the game over. With 51.1% of the ballot and 20 delegates, Donald Trump largely dominated the first Republican consultations ahead of the US presidential election. “THANK YOU IOWA I LOVE YOU ALL!!! “,” Trump responded on his social networking platform Truth Social on Monday evening. The big right-wing favorite in the November election then called on Americans to “unite.” “I think now is the time for everyone, our country, to unite (…). Whether it’s Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives,” the former president, known for his typically offensive rhetoric, told supporters in Des Moines, in this rural Midwestern state.

The stunning victory makes him the “clear favorite” of Republicans in the presidential election, Joe Biden, himself a candidate for re-election, said Monday. “He is the clear favorite of the other camp at this point,” the Democrat said on social media site X in a post calling for donations.

Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley are far behind.

Donald Trump, 77, who has faced criminal charges four times, has left his main rivals Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis far behind, although the results are still preliminary. Of the 95% of votes collected (a caucus is a public vote after a debate without a ballot box), the Florida governor received 21.2% of the vote, or 8 delegates. The former US Ambassador to the UN won 7 delegates with 19.1% of the vote.

Entrepreneur and young billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy did not fool the polls and scored a respectable 7.7%, or 3 delegates. But he withdrew his candidacy and supported Trump in an address to supporters.

If the numbers hold up, it would be the largest margin achieved in the Iowa caucuses, far ahead of Bob Dole in 1988, who led his opponents by 12.8 points.

Despite a snowstorm that hit the Midwestern state and raised fears about participation, the former president is inching closer to a possible showdown with Democrat Joe Biden, the current occupant of the White House. Donald Trump, who polls showed had one of the biggest leads ever seen over his opponents (nearly 50% of voting intentions), predicted an “amazing” night for his supporters.