Big Win In Iowa Moves Trump Closer To Biden Re-match

Des Moines, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jan, 2024) Donald Trump romped to a landslide victory Monday in Iowa's caucuses -- the first vote in the US presidential race -- cementing his status as the presumptive Republican standard-bearer to challenge President Joe Biden in November's election.

The former president has led polling for more than a year, but the contest offered the clearest insight yet into his ability to convert that advantage into a stunning White House return.

Major US networks took just half an hour to call the race, with Trump taking 51 percent of the vote and opening an unprecedented 30-point gap over Ron DeSantis -- the biggest victory for an Iowa challenger in modern history.

The Florida governor and Trump's other main rival -- former UN ambassador Nikki Haley -- were locked at 21 and 19 percent respectively, with DeSantis projected to take the runner-up spot.

"Trump is the dominant candidate (in the Republican Party) and 'contest one' confirms the reality," Julian E.

Zelizer, professor of Public Affairs at Princeton University, told AFP.

There had been questions whether Trump would be hamstrung by his legal problems, as he faces multiple civil and criminal trials this year.

But the extent of his victory demonstrated the 77-year-old's success in turning his prosecutions into a rallying cry that has galvanized his followers as he takes his momentum into New Hampshire, the next state to nominate, next Tuesday.

"I really think this is time now for everybody, the country, to come together," Trump said in a rambling, uncharacteristically lackluster victory speech.

Heart doctor Allan Latcham, 62, who voted before heading to Trump's election party in Des Moines, hailed a "night for victory," although he admitted he was surprised by the speed of the result call.