Political | Process

The former president’s lightning-fast win in Iowa gives him a crucial early victory in his bid to return to the White House.

“We want to thank the great people of Iowa,” Trump said in a caucus victory speech in Des Moines, the state’s capital and largest city.

More than two hours after Trump’s victory was called, the Fox News Decision Desk projected that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would edge former ambassador to the United Nations and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley for a distant second place behind Trump.

“They threw everything but the kitchen sink at us,” DeSantis said in a speech to supporters, as he referenced the onslaught of negative attacks and ads he faced from his rivals.

“Because of your support, in spite of all of that that they threw at us, everyone against us, we’ve got our ticket punched out of Iowa,” he touted.

Haley, addressing her supporters soon after DeSantis spoke, one again framed the nomination race as a two-person contest between herself and Trump.

“When you look at how we’re doing in New Hampshire, in South Carolina, and beyond, I can safely say tonight Iowa made this Republican primary a two person race,” she argued.

Multimillionaire biotech entrepreneur and first time candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who relentlessly campaigned across Iowa in recent months, suspended his campaign after finishing a distant fourth place.

Ramaswamy said he called Trump to congratulate him and said he would attend a rally with the former president in New Hampshire on Tuesday.

“There needs to be an America First candidate in this race,” Ramaswamy said. “Going forward, he will have my full endorsement for the presidency.”

Trump, speaking with Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman after his victory was projected, said he was “greatly honored by such an early call.”

“It really is an honor that, minutes after, they’ve announced I’ve won—against very credible competition — great competition, actually,” Trump said.

Trump campaign senior adviser Chris LaCivita posted to social media a photo of the former president backstage at his Iowa campaign caucus night headquarters, along with his son, Donald Trump Jr., giving the thumbs up sign in front of a TV tuned to Fox News, with the chyron “TRUMP PROJECTED TO WIN IOWA CAUCUS.”