In the latest updates from the vote board, with 38% of the vote counted, Donald Trump holds a commanding lead with 52.2% of the vote, amounting to 25,694 votes. It has been declared that he will be the winner in the race for second place. Currently, Ron DeSantis holds the second position with 20.3% of the vote, closely followed by Nikki Haley with 18.9%. Both candidates have received approximately 9,000 to 10,000 votes. Far behind in the race, Vivek Ramaswamy has acquired 7.7% of the vote, while Asa Hutchinson lags behind with a mere 0.2%.
From Des Moines, Iowa, we are expecting Donald Trump to address his supporters shortly at his campaign headquarters. Meanwhile, in Clive, Iowa, the counting process has been diligently carried out. Mona, along with friends and neighbors from different political affiliations, facilitated the counting in Clive 3, located in Polk County.
Mona provides an account of their meticulous sorting process, ensuring that each ballot was correctly labeled with the corresponding candidate and precinct number. The results from Clive 3 precinct are as follows: Asa Hutchinson received 1 vote, while Ron DeSantis garnered 3 votes. Although there was 1 blank ballot and 1 vote for DeSantis, they could not be counted due to the absence of a precinct number. Notably, Donald Trump received 61 votes, Ron DeSantis secured 77 votes, Vivek Ramaswamy earned 40 votes, and Nikki Haley emerged as the frontrunner in this particular precinct with an impressive 92 votes.
To ensure accuracy and provide transparency, Mona reads out the results and encourages all campaigns to photograph the sheet displaying the votes. Additionally, she assures all parties that a recount will be available upon request if any questions or concerns arise.
In light of Mona's report, it is apparent that Nikki Haley has emerged as the victor in Clive 3 precinct, securing 92 votes. Ron DeSantis takes second place with 77 votes, followed by Donald Trump with 61 votes, and Vivek Ramaswamy with 40 votes. Notably, there are two other precincts in Clive, with one smaller precinct recording Donald Trump as the winner with 36 votes, and a third precinct where Nikki Haley received 122 votes, followed by Ron DeSantis and Donald Trump.
These early results provide valuable insights into the preferences of voters in different precincts. With the race heating up, all eyes are on Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, and Nikki Haley as they continue to vie for support and position themselves for success in this highly contested political landscape. As the vote count increases, it remains to be seen how these standings will evolve and impact the overall outcome of the election.