Donald Trump’s win in Iowa caucuses showed a presidential candidate pivoting to win middle America
Donald Trump has taken another step toward reclaiming the White House, but the Iowa caucuses did not come without twists and begged the question, is this a presidential candidate already pivoting to win middle America?
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Much to the horror of Democrats, some Republicans, and large segments of the media, Donald Trump has taken another step towards reclaiming the White House he believes was unjustly stolen from him in 2020.
Tuesday’s (AEDT) Iowa caucuses — a fascinating ritual of American democracy right out of a Norman Rockwell painting — were always going to come down for Trump.
But no one expected the plot twists.
For one thing, the former president performed at the top end of expectations, coming in comfortably with more than 50 per cent of the vote.
Cynics will claim that freezing temperatures depressed turnout and saw enthusiastic Trump supporters over-represented when the votes were cast.
But, a win is a win.
Then, there was the frankly crummy performance of Nikki Haley.
Over the past few weeks a little media boomlet had swirled around Haley, a former diplomat and South Carolina governor, who had been touted as a reasonable and “moderate” alternative to Trump.
However, a series of gaffes including a weird claim that the US Civil War wasn’t about slavery, didn’t help.
Nor did attacks from the Trump camp portraying her as a creature of the dreaded “swamp” and as a mad foreign policy interventionist who would just get America into more “forever wars.”
Finally, there was the exit of Vivek Ramaswamy, the near-billionaire and Trump supporter who has pledged to back the former president.
Oh, and there was one more thing. Trump’s victory speech was triumphant, but also conciliatory.
Is this the sign of a candidate already pivoting to win middle America?
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Originally published as Donald Trump’s win in Iowa caucuses showed a presidential candidate pivoting to win middle America
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