Iowa caucus 2024: Trump handily wins majority of caucus votes

Iowa Republicans on Monday will choose their presidential nominee, braving sub-zero temperatures to cast the first ballots in the 2024 presidential race.

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Update 11:06 p.m. EST, Jan. 15: With 85% of the votes in, former President Donald Trump continued to lead the slate of candidates with 17 bound delegates, CNN reported.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis remained in second place with 21.3% while former South Carolina Nikki Haley was in third with 19.1%.

Vivek Ramaswamy and Asa Hutchinson rounded out the top five positions.

-- Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Update 9:52 p.m. EST, Jan. 15: With 37% of the votes counted, former President Donald Trump leads the Iowa Republican caucuses with about 52% of the vote. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley remain neck-and-neck, with 20.3% and 19.1% of the vote, respectively.

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy trailed behind with 7.7% of the vote. Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson has so far garnered 0.2%.

-- Crystal Bonvillian, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Update 8:38 p.m. EST, Jan. 15: As the first votes come in at the Iowa Republican caucuses, The Associated Press has called the race for former President Donald Trump. His top two opponents, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, are fighting for second place.

The projection is based on two things: an analysis of early returns and the results of AP VoteCast, a survey of voters who planned to caucus, according to an AP report.

-- Crystal Bonvillian, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Update 8:02 p.m. EST, Jan. 15: As the Iowa Republican caucuses get underway, CNN reports that former President Donald Trump is taking an early lead according to the media outlet’s entrance poll.

-- Crystal Bonvillian, Cox Media Group National Content Desk

Original story: Former President Donald Trump is the overwhelming favorite in the race, turning the caucus into a fight for second place.

The latest polls have Trump garnering 48% of the votes in a poll from the Des Moines Register/NBC News/Mediacom.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley went into Monday’s race with 20% of those polled saying they would support her. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had 16% support in the survey.

Trump urged supporters to power through the cold weather and head to caucus sites to cast their ballots.

“Dress warmly,” Trump told supporters during a noon conference call. “Leave your house, get your friends, bring as many people as you can.”

Trump said a big turnout would send a message to voters in other early GOP primary states. “We’re going to have a big, big beautiful celebration,” he said. “It’s a big evening, the whole world is watching.”

Trump has maintained a decisive lead in Iowa, at one point reaching 49% support from those polled despite four separate state and federal prosecutions.

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy told supporters that his campaign would “shock the world” with the results of the caucus. He was polling in the single digits on Monday.

Chris Christie dropped out of the presidential race last week, but the Iowa Republican Party will still tabulate any votes he receives in the caucuses.

The next state to vote is New Hampshire. The primary will be held on Jan. 23.

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