Trump pulls largest win ever in Iowa | Eastern North Carolina Now

Trump wins in a historic landslide

In a victory that comes as a surprise to no one, former President Donald Trump emerged victorious in the first electoral contest of the 2024 political season. 
No Republican had ever won the Iowa caucuses with a margin of more than 12 percent—until now. President Trump won the race with 51 percent support—nearly 30 points higher than the distant runner-up, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. 
 Former President and Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump arrives at a watch party during the 2024 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses in Des Moines, Iowa, on Jan. 15, 2024. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)
In a resounding validation of his frontrunner status in the race, the former president was called the winner of the race only 32 minutes after the caucuses began. 
DeSantis received 21.2 percent support. 
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley came in third with 19.1 percent of the vote. 
Following his victory, Trump struck a conciliatory tone in his victory speech, saying that his two closest rivals “both did very well.” 
“I really think this is the time now for everybody in our country to come together,” Trump said. “We want to come together. Whether it’s Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, it would be so nice if we could come together.” 
Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy came in fourth place with roughly 8 percent of the vote. 
While that was a respectable showing, it was far short of the threshold he needed to achieve the upset he hoped for. 
In a speech after the contest, Ramaswamy acknowledged that, after running a campaign based on the motto of “truth,” he had to admit to himself that he had no path to the White House. 
Ramaswamy announced to jeers and sighs that he was dropping out of the race and endorsing Trump, who he called the only other “America First candidate in this race.” 
The race largely vindicated the projections of earlier polls. 
In the final poll taken ahead of the race, Trump was the favorite for 48 percent of voters. Haley received 20 percent, DeSantis 16 percent, and Ramaswamy eight percent. 
DeSantis and Haley, meanwhile, insist that they’re still in the fight. 
Immediately after making their speeches about the results, Haley will be going to an event in New Hampshire, where she’s focused much of her electoral attention. DeSantis is en route to South Carolina. 
The next electoral contest of the 2024 election season will be held in New Hampshire on Jan. 23, just over a week after the Iowa contest.
—Joseph Lord and Janice Hisle 
BIDEN BALLOT BATTLE?
As former President Donald Trump continues to fight challenges to his primary ballot eligibility around the country, President Joe Biden may soon be in the same boat.
An objection voters filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections holds that the 14th Amendment bars Biden from the ballot because his border policies have given “aid and comfort” to the enemies of the United States.
Terry Newsome, a Chicago-area father, said he was proud to sign on to that petition.
“The Republicans don’t fight back enough on stuff—it’s kind of sickening,” Newsome said. “These Democrats don’t care. They just brutally attack our side with all kinds of crazy stuff like the Colorado [ruling] and the Republicans don’t do anything. So, I’m proud to be a part of this and call them out and see what happens.”
The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear Trump’s appeal of the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to strike him from the state’s primary ballot.
Newsome said he hopes the nation’s High Court will restore Trump to the ballot. But if not: “At least we have something to push back on Biden.”
As a parent who spoke out against pornography in his kids’ school, Newsome has been a frequent target of left-wing agitator groups like Antifa.
Since he signed the petition, the Capgemini principal said the doxxing attacks and attempts to get him fired have ramped up.
“They’ve been tagging my CEO—my North American CEO—they tagged Harvard, they tagged Bloomberg because we do things with them.”
Newsome is seeking legal counsel and still intends to be at the Jan. 17 hearing when the State Elections Board will assess his petition.
A second objection that challenges Biden’s eligibility under state law will also be heard. That petition holds that his statement of candidacy was not properly notarized according to the state’s election laws.
—Samantha Flom