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Opinion | Trump’s political resurrection has begun
- With his decisive win in Iowa, Trump has secured the Republican nomination in all but name
- With neither impeachment nor 91 criminal charges denting his popularity, it is clear that his ‘Make America great again’ brand of politics will become a party staple
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After Donald Trump’s landslide victory in the Iowa caucus, it is clear that there is no getting around the former president in the Republican Party – despite everything Americans already know about him. The future is therefore bleak.
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Although the primary season has just started, with his decisive win in Iowa, Trump has the nomination secured, albeit unofficially. His 51 per cent of the vote was a statement against the aspirations of Ron DeSantis, governor of Florida (21.2 per cent) and Nikki Haley, former governor of South Carolina (19.1 per cent), who were both confirmed as the sideshows they had been ever since the election cycle started.
In fact, DeSantis had staked his bid on a strong showing in Iowa but never came close despite the state governor’s endorsement. Haley never managed to successfully walk the tightrope between not alienating Trump voters and representing some of the values of a party that no longer exists.
Their only chance was a surprise win in Iowa. But they failed. And there will be no DeSantis New Hampshire miracle or a Haley comeback in South Carolina. This is Trump’s nomination and he took it on Monday – decisively.
While his win wasn’t a surprise, it is still a pivotal moment in American history, as it marks the official start of Trump’s political resurrection.
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