After Iowa and Onto New Hampshire: Donald Trump's Not So Inevitable

While many were predicting not only a Donald Trump win in Iowa on Feb. 1, but a possible run of the table to the GOP nomination after New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation presidential primary, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, threw a monkey wrench into the gears by winning last night by a solid margin.

Cruz won 28 percent of the Republican caucus last night with Trump receiving 24 percent. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio nipped at the billionaire businessman’s heels with 23 percent. Dr. Ben Carson received 9 percent and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, came in fifth with 4 percent.

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Pundits immediately pounced on not only Trump’s decision to forego the Fox News debate in Iowa after a public spat with moderator Megyn Kelly – who he said was biased – but Trump’s lack of retail politicking in the state whereas Cruz put a lot of resources into his effort, including thousands of volunteers and more than 1,000 precinct captains hitting every county.

Rubio, according to Dave Wasserman of the Cook Political Report, won five of Iowa’s 10 largest counties but none of the other 89 counties.

“Yet, this could be his blueprint for victory,” he noted.

Rubio also had a lot of support from voters who made their decisions at the last minute, according to exit polls.

The turnout was the highest ever for a Republican caucus – more than 180,000 – with Cruz receiving more votes than any other Republican in the history of the process – about 51,000 votes, according to press reports.

The Democrat caucus turnout was solid but not as much as 2008 when Barack Obama beat U.S. Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, and Clinton.

At just after midnight, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-VT, were in a virtual tie – 49.8 percent to 49.6 percent, with about 3 percent of the precincts left to count before Iowa’s Democratic Party declared Clinton the winner. Both Sanders and Clinton thanked their supporters with pundits saying that even though it looks like Clinton might eek out a win, it was a devastating result for someone who was a shoo-in with a 50 point lead nine months ago.

Iowa claims at least two

Two candidates suspended their campaigns tonight after disappointing results.

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-AK, who won the caucuses in 2008, suspended his campaign at around 10:30 p.m. after only receiving 2 percent of the vote this time around. He posted a simple note on Twitter thanking people for their loyal support.

Also, former Gov. Martin O’Malley, D-MD, suspended his campaign, after receiving less than 1 percent of the vote. In a statement, O’Malley said:

“Together we all stood up for working people, for new Americans, for the future of the Earth and the safety of our children. We put these issues at the front of our party’s agenda—these are the issues that serve the best interests of our nation.

The road has been long, but our course has been true. A great many people have put their time and talents into my campaign and I thank each of you from the bottom of my heart.

Whoever our nominee is, we must all hold strong, together.”

Campaign manager David Hamrick said that O’Malley ran “a strong, bold, and honorable campaign in a very challenging year. Entering the race as an unknown, he always faced long odds – especially against a candidate as universally known as Secretary Clinton.”

A number of politics on Twitter noted that O’Malley had a bright future in the party after running such substantive, policy driven effort.

Conservative indie and New Hampshire political commentator Kimberly Morin took to Twitter noting that while Iowa made history but giving the first ever win to a Hispanic, the Democrats were “down to 2 old white people. Socialist & Criminal” both from New York.

No, Carson’s not quitting

Rumors began surfacing early last night that Carson would be suspending his effort due to a disappointing fourth place finish in Iowa after the campaign announced that he would be heading home and not to New Hampshire or South Carolina.

Communications Director Larry Ross clarified that after spending nearly three weeks on the campaign trail in Iowa, he needed to go home to Florida to ... get this ... grab “a fresh set of clothes,” according to a press statement.

“He will be departing Des Moines later tonight to avoid the snowstorm and will be back on the trail Wednesday,” Ross noted. “We look forward to tonight’s caucus results and to meaningful debates in New Hampshire and South Carolina.”

Thousands of people took to Twitter cracking jokes like, There are no washing machines in Iowa? He’s really going home? Yes, he is, he needs a change of clothes.

At just before 1 a.m., Carson sent out a statement to the media thanking his supporters and condemning the “dirty tricks” of his opponents.

“For months, my campaign has survived the lies and dirty tricks from opponents who profess to detest the games of the political class, but in reality are masters at it,” he stated. “Even tonight, my opponents resorted to political tricks by tweeting, texting and telling precinct captains to announce that I had suspended my campaign - in some cases asking caucus goers to change their votes. One of the reasons I got into this race was to stop these deceptive and destructive practices, and these reports have only further steeled my resolve to continue and fight for ‘We The People,’ and return control of the government back to them.”

WATCH:

• Ted Cruz Addresses Supporters In Iowa After Republican Caucus Victory
• Despite Iowa finish, Trump vows victory
• Marco Rubio talks to Iowa Caucuses supporters
• Hillary Clinton Addresses Supporters In Iowa
• Bernie Sanders Addresses Supporters After Iowa Democratic Caucus
• AP: Martin O’Malley Drops Out of Presidential Race

In the Granite State

Despite 2 to 3 percent finishes in Iowa, former Gov. Jeb Bush, R-FL, Gov. Chris Christie, R-NJ, and Gov. John Kasich, all campaigned in New Hampshire last night.

Christie spent two hours at a town hall in Nashua while Bush met with voters in Manchester. Kasich spent time at the Loudon Fire Department headquarters.

Businesswoman Carly Fiorina – who also received 2 percent in Iowa – is also heading back to the Granite State on Wednesday hosting meet-and-greets and town halls in Portsmouth, Stratham, Londonderry, Brentwood, as well as the Life of the Party event at the NH IOP at St. A’s. On Thursday, she participates in a town hall meeting with the Greater Derry Londonderry Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Salem Chamber of Commerce.

No Call List

The NH AG’s Office sent out an alert to voters noting that if you are on the “no call” list and you receive a political robocall, there’s a complaint line available.

Kids get their say

New Hampshire Public Television is hosting its fifth New Hampshire Primary Mock Election on Feb. 2, asking more than 20,000 K-12 students to cast their ballots. Results will be tabulated and publicized on Feb. 4.