Following the GOP’s Iowa caucus, President Joe Biden acknowledged former President Donald Trump as the leading contender on the Republican side.
Trump’s victory was significant, as he secured 51% of the popular vote and gained support from 20 Republican delegates in the first primary of the 2024 presidential race.
This triumph marked the largest margin of victory in the history of the Iowa caucus, with Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida and former UN ambassador Nikki Haley trailing behind in second and third place, respectively, with 21% and 19% of the vote.
Biden’s team took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their observation that Trump had emerged as the clear front runner on the opposing side. However, Biden emphasized that the upcoming election would ultimately be a contest between himself and his supporters against the far-right MAGA Republicans, a sentiment that remained true both in the past and in the future.
Since announcing his campaign in November 2022, Trump has consistently maintained a strong lead in the polls over his Republican rivals. This has led many pundits and commentators to view his nomination as inevitable. Biden’s campaign, on the other hand, has focused heavily on criticizing Trump.
In his first campaign ad of the year, Biden accused Trump of undermining American democracy and condoning political violence, specifically referencing the Capitol Hill riot on January 6, 2021.
Biden has repeatedly addressed Trump by name, emphasizing the perceived threat he poses to democracy. In response, Trump has dismissed Biden’s speech as fear-mongering and criticized his track record of weakness, incompetence, corruption, and failure.
Recent polls indicate that Trump is currently ahead of Haley by a significant margin in the upcoming New Hampshire primary, with Christie and DeSantis trailing behind. Trump also holds a substantial lead over Haley in her home state of South Carolina. However, polls suggest that a head-to-head matchup between Trump and Biden would be closely contested, with Trump holding a slight advantage.
Despite his strong position in the polls, Trump faces numerous legal challenges that could potentially hinder his campaign. These include federal cases related to his alleged involvement in the Capitol Hill riot and mishandling of classified documents, as well as state-level cases and civil suits. Trump has dismissed these indictments as politically motivated attempts by the “Biden Crime Family” to remove him from the race for the White House.
