WEST DES MOINES, Iowa —
Gov. Ron DeSantis has likely come in second place in the 2024 Iowa Caucus, the AP projects. The Florida governor failed to outperform former President Donald Trump, but came out ahead of U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who placed third with 98% of votes counted.
"I can tell you, because of your support, in spite of all of that they threw at us, everyone against us, we've got our ticket punched out of Iowa," DeSantis said at a 2024 Iowa Caucus watch party Monday night.
Despite billing himself as the best alternative to Trump, DeSantis struggled to generate enthusiasm in the Hawkeye State. For months, multiple polls showed DeSantis in a distant second place to Trump — a prophecy that ultimately came true. With 98% of votes counted, Trump ran away with 51% of the vote, compared to DeSantis' 21.2% and Haley's 19.1%.
With Trump as the runaway favorite, the Florida governor has largely been fighting a battle for second place with former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. The most recent Iowa Poll showed Haley leading, but projected results Monday night show DeSantis approximately 2 percentage points ahead of the former South Carolina governor.
DeSantis projected confidence up until caucus night, reminding caucusgoers that polls aren’t always the best indicator of success.
“I think we have an opportunity to just make a statement that in this country it's we the people that ultimately decide these things,” DeSantis said in West Des Moines on New Year’s Eve.
Since announcing his campaign in May, DeSantis has spent a significant amount of time in Iowa. In December, he celebrated his visit to his 99th Iowa county, a move meant to showcase his dedication to the state.
"The fact that I’m willing to do this, that should show you that I consider myself a servant, not a ruler," DeSantis said in December.
In some ways, this commitment to Iowa paid off: Gov. Kim Reynolds endorsed DeSantis in November. Her decision to endorse a candidate before the caucuses was an unprecedented move for an Iowa governor.
"We need someone who puts this country first and not himself. . . that leader is Ron DeSantis," Reynolds said in November.
DeSantis also secured the endorsement of FAMiLY Leader CEO Bob Vander Plaats. The Evangelical conservative is widely known as an Iowa Caucus kingmaker, having correctly picked the winner of the last three contested Iowa GOP caucuses.
DeSantis’ priorities as governor and on the campaign trail have largely mirrored those of Reynolds. Both governors have enacted a six-week abortion ban, although Iowa’s was temporarily blocked by a judge. DeSantis, like Reynolds, has pushed a major educational overhaul to remove discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity from classrooms. Both governors are staunch supporters of harsher penalties for those who illegally cross the southern border.
But if DeSantis hoped these similarities would deliver him to a first-place victory, he was wrong: A number of Iowa evangelical voters remain staunchly loyal to Trump. This loyalty has led DeSantis to largely stray away from criticism of the former president in an effort to win over his supporters.
The DeSantis campaign will now shift its focus to New Hampshire, where the state’s primary will take place on Jan. 23.
"We thank you for your effort. We thank you for your support," DeSantis said Monday. "You helped us get a ticket punched out of the Hawkeye State. We have a lot of work to do, but I can tell you this as the next President of the United States. I am going to get the job done for this country."
The Haley campaign will also continue to New Hampshire. Haley took home approximately 19.1% of the vote with 97% of the votes counted.
"Tonight, Iowa did what Iowa does so well," Haley said Monday night. "The pundits will analyze the results from every angle. But when you look at how we are doing in New Hampshire, in South Carolina, and beyond, I think we can safely say tonight, Iowa made this Republican primary a two-person race!"