Has Trump Destroyed the Iowa Model?

Donald Trump’s commanding victory in the Iowa Republican caucuses raises an interesting question: Has Trump killed Iowa? No, not the state itself. Rather, the hyperlocalized character of its primary-beginning contest.

Ron DeSantis’s campaign strategy bet heavily on Iowa. He camped out in the state early, holding and attending many events, as well as spending heavily there. He visited all 99 of its counties. He secured endorsements from Iowa political figures, both elected officials such as Governor Kim Reynolds, and state conservative power-brokers such as Bob Vander Plaats, who backed the winning Republican candidate in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 contests. For all that, DeSantis lost by about 30 points to Trump, and only narrowly defeated Nikki Haley.

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Jack Butler

Jack Butler is a former submissions editor at National Review.

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Donald Trump’s commanding victory in the Iowa Republican caucuses raises an interesting question: Has Trump killed Iowa? No, not the state itself. Rather, the hyperlocalized character of its primary-beginning contest.

Ron DeSantis’s campaign strategy bet heavily on Iowa. He camped out in the state early, holding and attending many events, as well as spending heavily there. He visited all 99 of its counties. He secured endorsements from Iowa political figures, both elected officials such as Governor Kim Reynolds, and state conservative power-brokers such as Bob Vander Plaats, who backed the winning Republican candidate in the 2008, 2012, and 2016 contests. For all that, DeSantis lost by about 30 points to Trump, and only narrowly defeated Nikki Haley.