Donald Trump wins Iowa caucus; Ramaswamy suspends campaign

1 of 12 | Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump celebrates his win in the 2024 Iowa Caucus at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines, Iowa, on Monday. Next up in the race for the White House will be the New Hampshire primary. Photo by Tannen Maury/UPI | License Photo

CLIVE, Iowa, Jan. 15 (UPI) — Former President Donald Trump won Iowa’s caucus on Monday.

With about 100% of counties reported and approved Trump held 51% of the vote, more than 56,000 votes. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis earned 21.2% and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley had 19.1%.

Forty delegates are at stake in Iowa, and if Trump’s margin of victory holds he is expected to earn 17 or more of them. To win the Republican nomination a candidate must secure at least 1,215 delegates.

Trump’s success was similar between rural and metropolitan areas.

Haley held an advantage over DeSantis in Johnson and Story County, where the University of Iowa and Iowa State University are located. She also earned the second-most votes in Dallas and Linn County.

Entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy climbed ahead of Haley to earn the third-most votes in Buchanan County. During his watch party as the results were coming in Ramaswamy announced that he is suspending his campaign.

“There is no path for me to be the next president absent things we don’t want to see happen in this country,” Ramaswamy said.

Kim Schmett, leader of the Westside Conservative Club in Urbandale, Iowa, addressed the large crowd at the Horizon Event Center in Clive, remarking on a large turnout at 7 p.m. CST. More than 700