Trump wins first US election preview; DeSantis takes 2nd place

With 96% of the votes counted, former president and re-election candidate Donald Trump won the Iowa caucuses, known as the “caucus” – the first “thermometer” of the US presidential race.

A CNN projects the official victory of Trump who has already secured more than 50% of the votes (20 delegates), against 21% for the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis (8 delegates), and 19% from the former governor of South Carolina, Nikki Haley (7 delegates). Thirdly, the entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy with 7% of the votes (3 delegates)

DeSantis and Haley are expected to officially finish in second and third place, respectively.

Trump thanks Iowa

Trump thanked “the great people of Iowa” and congratulated his competitors after the CNN projected him to win the Iowa caucuses.

“I really think now is the time for everyone, our country, to come together,” he said. “We want to come together, whether Republican, Democrat, liberal or conservative.”

Businessman Vivek Ramaswamy announced that he has abandoned his presidential campaign at his campaign party in Des Moines, a city in Iowa.

“I think it’s true that we didn’t get the surprise we wanted to deliver tonight,” he said. He has also supported Trump and said he plans to attend a rally with the former president in New Hampshire on Tuesday.

DeSantis celebrated second place, telling voters, “We got our ticket in Iowa” and said his campaign represented hope for the country’s future.

Haley is hoping for better results in next week's New Hampshire primary. Pressure is mounting on her to pull off a victory there, sources close to her campaign told CNN .

She also attacked Trump and President Joe Biden and argued that Americans do not want a rematch between the two. In her remarks, Haley said the country wants a new generation of leadership.

Ron DeSantis in 2nd place

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis applauded Iowa voters for helping carry him to second place in the Iowa caucuses.

He said he learned during the campaign that people want hope for the country's future – and that's what his campaign represented.

“They threw everything at us except the kitchen sink,” DeSantis said. “They even called the election before people even had a chance to vote,” he added, to boos from the crowd.

“Because of your support, despite everything they threw at us, everyone at us, we got our ticket out of Iowa,” the governor said.

With about 90% of the votes reported, DeSantis narrowly defeated former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley for second place, winning more than 21% of the vote.

DeSantis has found his stride in recent weeks on the campaign trail — abandoning his frequent references to the culture wars, showing his affability in interviews with mainstream media outlets that he ignored for most of the race and focusing on one final message.

Ramaswamy dismayed

A spokesperson for Vivek Ramaswamy's presidential campaign expressed dismay at the result and said the campaign is “digesting and determining” as it looks to the next phase.

Tricia McLaughlin, Ramaswamy's campaign senior adviser and communications director, said the campaign is disappointed with the Iowa caucus results on Monday, despite Ramaswamy predicting he would bring a “shock to the system” with a strong performance.

“We left it all on the field,” McLaughlin said. “Obviously we are disappointed with the result, but Vivek is tough.”

“Our data reveals something very different,” McLaughlin said of campaign expectations in Iowa.

Ramaswamy has previously announced campaign events in New Hampshire starting on Tuesday and continuing every day until the New Hampshire primary on January 23.

McLaughlin confirmed he will campaign in New Hampshire this week, but said his schedule of events could change, citing logistical complications with maintaining the high-intensity pace of campaigning in the run-up to the Iowa caucuses.

“It’s time to give up”

A number of pro-Trump and Republican Party members told CNN on Monday (15) that former President Donald Trump's victory in Iowa should send a clear signal to his Republican rivals: it's time to give up.

“It’s been real. You know, tip your waitresses on the way out, but this primary is over,” Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida told CNN at Trump's watch party in Des Moines on Monday night

“Donald Trump consolidated the Republican Party. Ron DeSantis was forwarding his mail here. Like he moved here. What is his argument for continuing this campaign?” Gaetz said.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene echoed that sentiment. “They should give up,” the Georgia Republican said. “I think donor money is really important. And political consultants are very good at convincing candidates to stay on the ballot much longer than they really should.”

Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas told CNN who thinks Iowa is a turning point for the race and hopes more of his Republican colleagues on Capitol Hill will now line up behind the former president and support him.

“It is inevitable for me that he will be the nominee. And I just want to see my friends and colleagues agree,” Jackson said.

Gaetz, Greene and Jackson were part of a broader group of Trump surrogates who gathered in Iowa to rally the former president's supporters.

(Published by Gustavo Zanfer, with information from Aaron Pellish and Alayna Treene, from CNN )