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Biden tries to downplay Trump's Hawkeye State win, says 'I don't think Iowa means anything'

“I don’t think Iowa means anything. The president got 50-some-thousand votes — the lowest number of votes anybody who’s won got,” Joe Biden told reporters.

Updated on: Jan 19, 2024, 22:37:15 IST
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US President Joe Biden, who earlier acknowledged Donald Trump’s 2024 Iowa Republican caucus win, has now poured cold water on Republican frontrunner's momentous victory, stating that it wasn't very significant.

Donald Trump is leading president Joe Biden in as many as five key states, it has been revealed by a new poll from The New York Times and Siena College (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Donald Trump is leading president Joe Biden in as many as five key states, it has been revealed by a new poll from The New York Times and Siena College (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

In the Hawkeye State, Trump won by a margin of 30 percent as he received 51 percent of the votes.

Even though the extreme cold had an adverse effect on voter turnout, Trump managed to garner 56,260 votes, exceeding Ted Cruz's record of 51,666 votes in 2016. Even with the sharp decline in voter turnout, Trump received 45,427 votes in 2016, an increase of 10,833 caucus attendees.

“I don’t think Iowa means anything. The president got 50-some-thousand votes — the lowest number of votes anybody who’s won got,” Biden told reporters on Thursday.

“You know, this idea that it’s been a runaway, I think he can characterize it any way he wants. I’ll let them make that judgment,” the POTUS added.

The 45th president won the Iowa Caucus by the widest margin since it was the country's first presidential nominating contest. While Trump's supporters celebrated the win as a validation of his political supremacy, Biden seemed skeptical.

Also Read: It's Haley vs Trump in New Hampshire as DeSantis withdraws from next primary

Biden calls Trump a ‘clear’ Republican frontrunner

Biden noted Trump's domination in the GOP field shortly after the latter's resounding victory, as the two candidates seem to headfor a rematch in November 2020. He even called the ex-US president a “clear front runner” on the other side and urged his supporters to donate to his campaign in the wake of Trump's win.

“Looks like Donald Trump just won Iowa. He’s the clear front runner on the other side at this point,” Biden posted on X.

US elections 2024: Is it Trump vs Biden?

The next Republican presidential race is scheduled to take place in New Hampshire on Tuesday. A falling out between the Democratic Party and the Granite State has prompted Biden to launch a write-in campaign there.

According to the RealClearPolitics aggregate, Trump currently has a narrow 0.9 percentage point advantage nationally when environmental attorney Robert Kennedy Jr. is included.

More significantly, surveys indicate that Trump and Biden will face off in a thrilling general election in the crucial battleground states, which will decide the outcome of the election.

  • Shweta Kukreti
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shweta Kukreti

    Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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