Trump Triumphs in Iowa: White, Male, and Blue-Collar Workers Boost His Victory

Donald Trump scored an overwhelming victory with over 50% of the vote in the Iowa Caucus, the starting point of the U.S. presidential election and the first Republican presidential primary. Despite ongoing legal risks, Trump’s competitiveness in the presidential race has been demonstrated, and a rematch with President Joe Biden is expected to be confirmed early.

According to CNN on the 16th (local time), Trump secured victory in the Iowa Caucus with 51% of the vote, taking first place. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis came in second with 21.2%, and Nikki Haley, who was being watched as a “counter to Trump,” came in third with 19.1%. This is the largest vote difference in the history of the Republican primaries and is analyzed as a result of the rage of white, male, and blue-collar workers.

Politico reported that following his straightforward victory in Iowa, Donald Trump’s chances of securing the Republican presidential nomination have further solidified. Meanwhile, The Washington Post noted that despite many Americans not favoring a rematch of the 2020 election, such an outcome seems increasingly inevitable.

The caucus was hot despite the severe cold

Matthew (27), who met with reporters at Grandview University in Des Moines, Iowa, one of the caucus districts, on the 15th (local time), pressed the name “Donald Trump” on a white piece of paper as soon as the voting started and took an additional verification shot with his smartphone. He said, “I’m not sure if Trump can get more than 50% of the vote in the caucus,” but he was confident, “He is a strong candidate. He will win in the end.”

The overwhelming victory of Donald Trump in the Iowa Caucus, the first primary of the U.S. presidential election, has accelerated the rematch with President Joe Biden. The former president, indicted four times on 91 criminal charges after failing to be re-elected, has made a brilliant comeback as the most likely next presidential candidate.

Republicans unite around Trump

With Trump’s competitiveness confirmed in the Iowa Caucus, the first hurdle of the Republican presidential primary, the Republicans are expected to unite around Trump quickly, and the New York Times commented that achieving 50% of the vote represents a psychological Maginot Line and predicted that anti-Trump sentiments within the party would diminish now that this threshold has been surpassed. Declarations of support for Trump by influential Republican politicians are expected to follow, and campaign funds are also likely to go to the Trump camp.

After losing to President Biden in the 2020 presidential election, Trump faced numerous setbacks before deciding to run again. The impeachment questioning his responsibility for the January 6, 2021, riot passed the House of Representatives just before he left office, and he is facing trial for this incident. The Supreme Courts of Colorado and Maine also stripped Trump of his presidential candidacy in those states, citing constitutional provisions prohibiting public officials involved in rebellion from holding public office.

However, the common analysis of U.S. media outlets is that such “legal risks” have ironically consolidated his base. By defining the charges against him as political oppression by the Biden administration, Trump stimulated the sentiment within the party and ultimately established himself as the overwhelming candidate.

Confirmed as early as March as a presidential candidate

The Trump camp has revealed a plan to confirm the presidential candidate early, perhaps within March, by winning the most votes in Iowa. After holding caucuses and primaries in each state, the Republican party will confirm the candidate at the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, convention from July 15 to 18. Among them, Super Tuesday, March 5, when 14 states hold primaries, is a significant milestone, and if Trump continues to win big, like in Iowa, the presidential candidate will be confirmed early.

According to a comprehensive analysis of polls by political media The Hill, Trump has a national support rate of 64.1% in the Republican primary, leading Haley (11.3%) and DeSantis (11%) by more than 50 points. As Trump, who had a support rate of around 50%, also won a massive victory in Iowa, he can expect good results in the remaining state primaries.

Biden anxious, South Carolina showdown

If Trump is confirmed as the Republican presidential candidate, a rematch with President Biden will naturally be confirmed. The Democratic Party starts the primary in South Carolina next month, but no candidate who can compete with President Biden has declared candidacy. Therefore, President Biden must focus on the match with Trump and raise his approval rating.

According to a poll conducted by ABC Broadcasting and Ipsos from the 4th to the 8th of this month, President Biden’s approval rating fell by 4 points to 33% compared to the same poll last September (37%). ABC reported this is “worse than Trump’s low as president (36%) and the lowest since George W. Bush from 2006-2008.” The latest poll from CBS News and YouGov also showed that President Biden would lose to any of the three leading Republican candidates, Trump, DeSantis, and Haley.

President Biden is expected to establish a foothold for recovering his approval rating in South Carolina, where the first Democratic primary will be held while consolidating his support base. South Carolina, which has many black voters, is where President Biden turned the tide in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary after early setbacks. CNN reported, “President Biden is heading to the Democratic primary, hoping South Carolina can save him again.”