National front-runner Donald Trump lost the first polling state of Iowa on Monday to Senator Ted Cruz of Texas in the run for Republican presidential nomination, an outcome that will keep the race open and make it nastier.
The emergence of Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who finished a close third, however, keeps the hopes of conventional Republicans alive — that they could stop the nomination of Mr. Cruz and Mr. Trump, both considered insurgents and out of tune with the party’s traditional base.
Mr. Cruz polled 28 per cent against Mr. Trump’s 24, while Mr. Rubio, who now seems to have edged out the rest, polled 23 per cent.
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“They told me I had to wait my turn,” Mr. Rubio said. “This is not a time for waiting.”
In the Democratic Party, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders stalled what appeared even weeks ago to be an unchallenged march of the former first lady, Hillary Clinton, as both ended in a virtual tie. In Iowa, Mr. Sanders had 49.6 per cent against Ms. Clinton’s 49.9 per cent, according to last reports.
In February 2015, Mr. Sanders polled 7 per cent against Ms. Clinton’s 68.
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After Iowa, focus shifts to New Hampshire
All candidates in the U.S. presidential race shifted their bases to New Hampshire, the next battleground, by Tuesday morning.
Senator Bernie Sanders of the Democratic Party has a clear edge over former secretary of state Hillary Clinton in the state, while on the Republican side, billionaire Donald Trump has a formidable lead over his rivals.
The New Hampshire primary will take place on February 9. In the Iowa Caucus, held on Monday, Ted Cruz defeated national front runner Mr. Trump while the Democratic race ended in a virtual tie.
The Iowa outcomes could alter the existing equations in both parties in New Hampshire and other states to follow. Iowa voting trends appeared to confirm the earlier surveys that indicated younger voters flocking towards Mr. Sanders.
“I was called a fringe candidate, and we had no money…” Mr. Sanders told supporters before the caucuses began in Iowa. “I think the people of Iowa have sent a very profound message to the political establishment, to the economic establishment and, by the way, to the media establishment,” he said as the results emerged, describing the outcome as a “political revolution”.
Conservative agenda
Mr. Cruz, who campaign on a Christian conservative agenda and supports a new era of unfettered American militarism, has often derided Mr. Trump as a “progressive liberal” for his earlier support for gay and abortion rights and continuing support for society security. Mr. Cruz wants “saturation bombing” against Islamist militants in West Asia and his campaign ads have portrayed him as the true defender of Christianity against the threat of Islamism. As Senator, Mr. Cruz has continuously disrupted possibilities of bipartisanship, even forcing government shutdowns. “Iowa has sent notice that the next president of the United States will not be chosen by the media… the Washington establishment.. or lobbyists,” Mr. Cruz said.
Mr. Trump said after the results that he felt “honoured” by the second place and congratulated Mr. Cruz. Mr. Cruz and Mr. Trump have complemented each other for months, until a month ago, when they began attacking each other. Mr. Rubio has described Mr. Cruz’s politics as an attempt to “trump Mr. Trump,” on anti-immigrant rhetoric.
The attacks are likely to get more vicious in the coming days and all forces against Mr. Trump and Mr. Cruz are now certain to rally behind Mr. Rubio. The Iowa outcome ends the dream of former Florida governor Jeb Bush, who was the favourite of Republican donors in the beginning.