US Republican Primary Begins on 15th in Iowa... Will Trump Solidify His Lead?

Trump Missed Iowa in 2016... Supporters Rally
March 5 'Super Tuesday' Outline

The U.S. Republican Party will begin its presidential primary elections in Iowa starting on the 15th (local time).

The Republican primary features former President Donald Trump, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis competing against each other. Beginning with the Iowa caucuses, the primaries will be held in each state either through caucuses or primaries (preliminary elections involving general voters).

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Iowa has 40 allocated delegates, which accounts for about 1.6% of the total Republican delegates, and its racial composition is nearly 90% white. While it is difficult to claim broad representativeness, it holds symbolic significance as the first state to hold a primary.

In polls, former President Trump, who has shown majority support, is leading, with Ambassador Haley and Governor DeSantis trailing behind. Trump lost first place to Senator Ted Cruz in the Iowa caucuses during the 2016 presidential election. Since he needs to quickly secure delegates necessary for winning the primary and to defend against judicial risks, he is putting considerable effort into Iowa.

The New York Times (NYT) reported that former President Trump is giving support speeches at the Iowa caucuses and recruiting so-called 'caucus captains' to secure votes, with about 1,800 people already gathered.

According to a poll conducted by CBS News and YouGov from the 8th to the 15th of last month, Trump’s support rate among Republican candidates in Iowa was 58%, exceeding half. He was followed by DeSantis (22%), Haley (13%), Vivek Ramaswamy (4%), and Chris Christie (3%).

The Republican primary landscape is expected to take shape on March 5, known as 'Super Tuesday.' On this day, primaries will be held in 16 locations, including California (169 delegates) and Texas (161 delegates). The number of Republican delegates at stake on Super Tuesday is 874, accounting for about 36% of the total delegates. After that, primaries will be held on March 12 in Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Washington; on March 19 in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Ohio; and on March 23 in Louisiana, deciding about 70% of the delegates based on their numbers.

The Democratic Party will begin its primary on February 3 in South Carolina. President Joe Biden, who is seeking re-election, is widely expected to be confirmed as the presidential candidate.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.