Trump wins Iowa Republican presidential caucus

Former President Donald Trump won the Iowa Republican presidential caucus on Monday as voters braved frigid temperatures to participate in the first contest of the 2024 GOP presidential nominating process.

The state's 40 delegates will be divided among the candidates based on the proportion of the statewide vote that they earned, which means that those who failed to win can still pick up some delegates.

Iowans could register to vote or switch their party affiliation to Republican on caucus day and vote in the contest, according to the Associated Press.

Prior to the contest on Monday, polling indicated that Trump had a large lead in the Hawkeye State over rival Republicans.

Trump, who won the 2016 presidential election but lost in 2020, did not participate in any of the four Republican National Committee-affiliated GOP presidential primary debates last year. Last week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley faced off during a CNN debate in Des Moines, but Trump, who had also qualified for that debate, did a Fox News town hall in Des Moines.

Last year, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds endorsed DeSantis while New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu endorsed Haley. The New Hampshire GOP presidential primary next week will mark the second contest in the 2024 GOP presidential nominating process.

Trump has scored scads of endorsements from Republican figures. For example, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who mounted a GOP presidential primary bid but ultimately dropped out last year, and GOP Sen. Mike Lee of Utah have both endorsed Trump.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has announced an anti-endorsement of Haley, declaring himself "never Nikki," and saying, "I don't think any informed or knowledgeable libertarian or conservative should support Nikki Haley."

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