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Well, despite Iowa being a caucus state instead of a primary state, which makes polling a little trickier, Donald Trump has apparently cruised to an easy victory in this first Republican primary contest.
The totals are looking quite interesting. Not because Trump won Iowa easily, but the numbers regarding second place.
DDHQ Race Update: IA President Republican Caucus
Follow live results here: https://t.co/FeAlhRkfNC pic.twitter.com/2lvbSNb6h1
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) January 16, 2024
As the results are still being tallied, things could change, but it’s pretty apparent that Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis are evenly matched, with Vivek Ramaswamy falling way behind as a distant fourth. Second place matters because Iowa is not a winner-take-all state, and the delegate total could matter later. Trump’s commanding lead meant that the race was called within an hour of the end of the caucuses by most press outlets.
“I feel great,” Trump told Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman minutes after his victory was called by numerous networks. “I am 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, who narrowly lost the 2016 Iowa caucuses to Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, assembled a formidable get-out-the-vote machine in the state over the past year.
In fact, the press may have rushed to get the results out a little TOO quickly. As in, before the voting started at all in certain Iowa precincts.
The @AP’s own rules forbid calling a race before polls close
Tonight, AP called the Iowa Caucuses for Trump before some precincts even began voting pic.twitter.com/W1LJKY19gb
— John Hasson (@SonofHas) January 16, 2024
This smells. Yes, Trump was projected to win, the expectation was there that he would win. But to have the media declaring that he had won before some votes were even cast? That seems fishy – and predictable.
On the CNN chryon as they lament the voters behind them haven’t begun to vote yet pic.twitter.com/AUpTvccYgg
— Kyle Lamb (@kylamb8) January 16, 2024
There is a large amount of suspicion that the media is tipping their hand early. In calling Iowa for Donald Trump before the voting was over, they are setting a precedent – a potentially dangerous one. Remember how in 2020 it wasn’t that the vote totals were rigged, but rather that the media rigged the coverage of the election by suppressing the Hunter Biden laptop story, and letting Joe Biden hide in the basement during his campaign? They know that their previous 2020 tactics won’t work. Time to try a new one!
This isn’t about Trump or the outcome. It’s a criticism of the press for behaving irresponsibly.
And Trump supporters defending this may want to think twice bc (assuming he is the nominee) they will be outraged & expect support when similar things happen to him in the general. https://t.co/TgXtFcKkqw
— AG (@AGHamilton29) January 16, 2024
Is this the new game the media is trying to play, in order to rig the primary for the candidate they think will be easiest for Biden to beat, or for them to beat up during a presidential race? During 2016, it was clear the media wanted Trump because they thought Hillary would mop the floor with him. They chose… poorly. So in 2020, they were all in for Joe Biden, and willingly looked the other way when Hunter’s laptop was declared “Russian disinformation.” They’ve learned nothing, except to not try the same thing twice. So this time, they will simply declare the results “inevitable” before they even happen, and proclaim a winner before voting is even over? What happens if they try that on Election Night in November??? Naturally, the DeSantis campaign is rightfully angry about the media’s actions tonight.
We will all need to watch carefully to see how the media handles declaring a winner in the New Hampshire primary next week, on January 23rd. If this same pattern repeats itself, with the media deciding the winner before polls close, and sending out tweets and alerts and texts to that effect, then something is most definitely afoot. And even if tonight’s result is the one you wanted, or the one you expected, we cannot let the media get away with rigging the election with a new round of shenanigans.
Featured image: original Victory Girls art by Darleen Click
Hate_me says: Calling an election before it’s decided, at least to me, speaks to an agenda of discouraging voters to even bother showing up.
I honestly don’t care who ultimately wins the Republican primary so long as Brandon loses the presidency – but I can’t say I’m hopeful for Ramaswamy’s foreign policy nor for Haley’s domestic one.
I don’t vote, as my vote still only matters in NY and that means it won’t ever matter, but the media effort to deter Republican votes is one that must be taken seriously. If your vote matters at least as much as the time to cast it, vote. Do not trust the MSM.
Scott says: Your first sentence says it all Hate..
“What happens if they try that on Election Night in November???”. They already have, In the Florida panhandle, and in Az in the last election. By calling the state before the polls close, they suppress the vote of the “loser” because why would anyone go vote when the outcome has already been decided. This is most DEFINITELY an attempt by the media to determine the outcome of the election. Pravda anyone??
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