OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
A record-setting victory for former President Donald Trump in Monday’s Iowa caucuses solidified his hold on the Republican presidential nomination for 2024, leaving his opponents far behind.
Hundreds of schools, churches, and community centers around the state hosted the caucus, as participants braved potentially fatal cold and hazardous driving conditions. However, the turnout was so high that Trump won the Iowa Republican caucuses by a margin of about 30 points, breaking Bob Dole’s record of nearly 13 points in 1988.
President Joe Biden took to X, formerly known as Twitter, soon after Iowa was called and said Trump is the “clear front runner” in the GOP presidential race.
In response to Trump’s victory, Biden wasted no time in beginning his fundraising campaign. He continued by slamming “extreme MAGA Republicans.”
“Looks like Donald Trump just won Iowa. He’s the clear frontrunner on the other side at this point. But here’s the thing: this election was always going to be you and me vs. extreme MAGA Republicans. It was true yesterday and it’ll be true tomorrow,” Biden wrote.
Biden followed up the statement with a request for donations to his 2023 re-election campaign.
Looks like Donald Trump just won Iowa. He’s the clear front runner on the other side at this point.
But here’s the thing: this election was always going to be you and me vs. extreme MAGA Republicans. It was true yesterday and it’ll be true tomorrow.
So if you’re with us, chip…
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) January 16, 2024
Trump spoke to Fox News on Monday night, saying he felt “invigorated” and “greatly honored” after winning the 2024 Iowa caucuses.
“It really is an honor that, minutes after, they’ve announced I’ve won — against very credible competition — great competition, actually. It is a tremendous thing and a tremendous feeling. We have to get our country back,” he told Fox News Digital. “Our country has gone through so many bad things over the last three years and it is continuing to go through bad things.”
Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy suspended his 2024 presidential campaign and endorsed former President Donald Trump after the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucuses.
Ramaswamy, who had no prior political experience when he entered the 2024 race, gained national attention and experienced a brief surge in the polls by advocating popular ideas and repeatedly praising Trump.
Following Monday’s caucuses, in which he was projected to place fourth, Ramaswamy declared the suspension of his presidential campaign.
“It is true that we did not achieve the surprise that we wanted to deliver tonight,” Ramaswamy said. “As of this moment, we are going to suspend this presidential campaign. Earlier tonight, I called Donald Trump to tell him that I congratulated him on his victory. And now, going forward, he will have my full endorsement for the presidency.”
In caucus attendees, Ramaswamy garnered approximately 8% of the vote, trailing behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, who finished second and third, respectively, with approximately 20% of the vote. In contrast, Trump broke contested caucus records by receiving over 50% of the vote.
Ramaswamy, who entered the race with virtually no name recognition in February of last year, defeated several prominent Republicans, including former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, South Carolina senator Tim Scott, and former vice president Mike Pence.
Restoring American identity and his call to dismantle the bureaucratic state through a radical reduction in the size of the federal government occupied a significant portion of his campaign.
To distinguish himself from 77-year-old Trump, whom he had frequently hailed as the “greatest president” of all time, the 38-year-old additionally contended that Republicans ought to choose a candidate with “fresh legs.”
🚨VIVEK: “As of this moment we are going to be suspending this Presidential campaign… This has to be an America First candidate in that White House… Earlier tonight I called Donald Trump… and now going forward he will have my full endorsement for President.” pic.twitter.com/GdcSzKPf3z
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 16, 2024
