Despite all the legacy media and establishment Republican forces lined up against him, Donald Trump's victory on Monday night was the largest margin in the history of Iowa's Republican presidential caucuses. Trump won by 30 points, easily surpassing the previous winning margin of 12.8 percent set in 1988 by then-Sen. Bob Dole.
Former Trump White House official Garrett Ziegler noted in a Telegram post: "Every corrupt force in American life HATES TRVMP. That is the best endorsement for 2024. The ONLY one he needs, as a matter of fact."
Not only did Trump's dominant victory stun the Left, so did his victory speech.
"I really think this is time now for everybody, our country, to come together," Trump told supporters at his victory party in Des Moines. "We want to come together, whether it's a Republican or a Democrat or liberal or conservative. It would be so nice if we could come together and straighten out the world and straighten out the problems and straighten out all of the death and destruction that we're witnessing."
David Axelrod, the former chief strategist for President Barack Obama, posted on X it was a "Very un-Trump like victory speech."
Former Democrat Rep. Harold Ford Jr., co-host of "The Five," said: "I was shocked, how measured he was and how conciliatory he was tonight. He sounded measured and sounded presidential."
Trump spokesperson Liz Harrington pointed out that the Iowan vote was "Same day voting, paper ballots, counted in public — a beautiful thing!"
What was not a beautiful thing, many observers are saying, is how Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley came away after being lambasted by 30 points feeling that their campaigns somehow have momentum.
"The people who spent all last year saying that Trump supporters are in a cult are now celebrating the Iowa results, as if they won, when they got defeated by 30 points," Human Events editor Jack Posobiec noted. "They are even telling people they are going to win the election. We cannot forget all the people who lied. They lied to their followers, lied to their listeners, perhaps even lied to themselves. When someone lies like this, with no remorse, it is imperative to call them out."
What better way to call them out than in campaign spending in Iowa.
Here's how it broke down:
Trump spent $18.2 million, or $340 per vote.
DeSantis spent $34 million, or $1,697.96 per vote.
Haley spent $36 million, or $1,797.84 per vote.
Haley said after the 32-point drubbing she just swallowed: "Thank you, Iowa! You’re faithful, patriotic & hardworking, and I’m grateful to each of you! Now it’s on to New Hampshire, where this campaign is the last best hope of stopping the Trump-Biden rematch that no one wants."
DeSantis's campaign said after Monday's vote that he “earned his ticket out of Iowa.”
He didn't mean a ticket back to Florida.
“They threw everything at Ron DeSantis. They couldn’t kill him. He is not only still standing, but he’s now earned his ticket out of Iowa,” the DeSantis campaign told Fox News. “This is going to be a long battle ahead, but that is what this campaign is built for. The stakes are too high for this nation and we will not back down.”
Republican senators injected some much-needed sanity to the proceedings by urging Haley and DeSantis to embrace reality, step aside, and support Trump:
"Trump’s victory tonight showcases once again the changing GOP base," Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri wrote on X. "This is a working class party now. The DC Republicans need to figure it out."
Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville wrote on X: "Can we stop pretending this is an actual primary race and get to the business of defeating Joe Biden?"
Sen. Mike Lee of Utah said: "Beating Joe Biden won’t be easy. But it’s absolutely necessary. No other Republican has a shot at the nomination. It’s therefore imperative that Republicans start getting behind Trump. No time to lose."
GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy did the same:
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