(RepublicanReport.org) – On January 15, Republican voters cast their ballots in the Iowa caucus, the first primary of the 2024 campaign cycle. Former President Donald Trump won 51% of the vote. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, and political newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy split most of the remaining ballots. That day, an arctic blast tore through the state, leading to low voter turnout. However, the freezing temperatures weren’t the only problem the caucuses experienced in the state that day.
On January 16, The Daily Wire published a stunning report detailing several mainstream media outlets’ decision to call Iowa before everyone could vote. News organizations like The New York Times, Fox News, The Associated Press, and CNN announced Trump’s victory minutes after several of the state’s caucus locations closed their doors. In many instances, the caucus members hadn’t started making floor speeches yet, much less begun casting their votes.
Shortly after the caucuses concluded, DeSantis’ campaign spokesman, Andrew Romeo, posted a statement on his X/Twitter account slamming the news organizations for their coverage, calling it “absolutely outrageous.” He accused the media of participating in “election interference by calling the race” before thousands of Iowa Republicans had an opportunity to cast their ballots for the party’s nominee.
Absolutely outrageous that the media would participate in election interference by calling the race before tens of thousands of Iowans even had a chance to vote. The media is in the tank for Trump and this is the most egregious example yet.
— Andrew Romeo (@andrewromeo33) January 16, 2024
Additionally, Romeo told supporters that mainstream news outlets are all-in on Trump. He concluded his statement by noting that their wreckless coverage served as “the most egregious example” of their support for the former president.
Iowa isn’t considered to be a bellwether state for Republicans. Although seven of 10 Democratic candidates who won the state’s caucuses eventually became the party’s nominee, only three of eight GOP candidates emerged as the party’s standard bearer in the general elections.
However, the caucus results can play a role in determining who wins the Republican nominee. Dan McLaughlin, a senior writer at National Review, recently noted that since Iowa isn’t a winner-take-all state, the margins the individual candidates receive in the state can impact the allocation of delegates.
Copyright 2024, RepublicanReport.org
