Donald Trump Wins Republican Caucuses in Iowa, Securing Party's First 2024 Victory

Donald Trump secured the first win of the election year in Iowa on Monday, signaling a strong start in his third bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

The Associated Press called the caucuses for Trump just 31 minutes after they began. With 91% of ballots counted, the AP called second place for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis.

Trump received 51% of the vote, far ahead of DeSantis' 21.3%, reports the AP. Nikki Haley, who served as Trump's first ambassador to the U.N,, received 19.1% of the vote.

Iowa's 40 allotted delegates are but a drop in the bucket of the GOP's nearly 2,500 delegates up for grabs this year — but as the first state on the party's primary calendar, Iowa holds undeniable influence on public perception by separating the frontrunners from the long shots.

The winner of the Iowa caucuses traditionally enjoys a moment in the spotlight right as the election year heats up, and has better chances of securing the funding required to stay in the race through primary season.

New Hampshire is up next on the Republican calendar, hosting a primary election on Jan. 23 that will determine how its 22 delegates are divided between the candidates. In New Hampshire, Trump's biggest threat appears to be Haley, with the other candidates polling far behind in the single digits.

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Whichever Republican candidate wins at least 1,234 delegates over the next five months will be declared the GOP nominee during the Republican National Convention in July.