Is A Trump Win In Iowa A Done Deal?
Consider This from NPR
NPR
4.2 • 6.2K Ratings
🗓️ 17 December 2023
⏱️ 12 minutes
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Summary
Usually, the caucuses signal the kickoff to primary season. But this year, there isn't a lot that is usual about the Republican race so far.
Former President Donald Trump is vying for his party's nomination - against an increasingly smaller pool of challengers.
And despite the fact that Trump is currently facing 91 felony charges from state and federal jurisdictions, and has not attended a single debate, he continues to lead the pack.
The most recent Iowa polls show him at over 50%. If that number sticks, it would be impossible for any of his four challengers to pull ahead in any significant way.
NPR's Scott Detrow speaks to Iowa Public Radio's Clay Masters and J. Ann Selzer, president of the Iowa based polling firm Selzer and Company, on what the candidates numbers say about the race and the overall state of the Republican party.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | We are just weeks away from the Republican Iowa Caucus, the official kickoff to the presidential primary season. |
| 0:13.2 | In many years, Iowa provides a golden opportunity for a candidate to break out from the pack |
| 0:18.0 | or establish him or herself with a surprise strong finish. |
| 0:22.1 | This year is different. |
| 0:23.4 | Looking at the race in Iowa, for President Donald Trump up by 30 points now. |
| 0:28.0 | Former President Donald Trump's lead is growing in the state. |
| 0:32.0 | 51% of Iowa voters now support the former president as the nominee. |
| 0:37.0 | In this race, the Republican field has only ever had one leader, |
| 0:41.0 | former president Donald Trump. And that is despite the fact that he is |
| 0:44.7 | currently facing 91 felony charges from state and federal jurisdictions, and that he has not |
| 0:50.8 | participated in a single Republican presidential debate so far. |
| 0:55.4 | Republican candidates who are running against Trump to try and be the presidential nominee themselves, |
| 1:00.1 | they've been reluctant to criticize or challenge the former president. |
| 1:03.7 | The Vek Ramaswami often goes out of his way in fact to praise Trump. |
| 1:07.7 | President Trump, I believe, was the best president of the 21st century. |
| 1:11.8 | It's a fact. Chris Christie, the former New Jersey guy. of the candidates for not doing the same. The fact is that when you go and you say the truth about somebody |
| 1:25.3 | who is a dictator, a bully, who has taken shots at everybody, |
| 1:31.5 | whether they've given them great service or not, over time, who dares to disagree with him. |
| 1:36.9 | Then I understand why the thieves three are timid to say anything about it. |
| 1:41.8 | But perhaps as a result, Christie has often found himself |
| 1:45.0 | at the back of the pack struggling to stay relevant in the race. |
| 1:48.4 | Trump for his part often seems to be ignoring the primary altogether |
... |
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