Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R) campaign ripped into the media for projecting former President Trump’s win in the Iowa caucuses Monday, alleging “election interference” in calling the race.
“Absolutely outrageous that the media would participate in election interference by calling the race before tens of thousands of Iowans even had a chance to vote. The media is in the tank for Trump and this is the most egregious example yet,” DeSantis campaign spokesperson Andrew Romeo said on X, the platform previously known as Twitter.
The Associated Press called the race at 8:31 p.m. EST. Outlets such as CNN, MSNBC and Fox News made the same projection around the same time. Decision Desk HQ called the race for Trump just before 9 p.m. EST.
The caucus meetings kicked off at 8 p.m. EST, expected to vary in length across locations in the state, with some results available in as little as half an hour and others not anticipated until later this evening, according to The Des Moines Register.
When the projections put Trump as the winner, second place was still up in the air — with DeSantis and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley neck and neck for runner-up.
Heading into Monday’s closely watched contest, observers widely expected Trump to win the Hawkeye State — but DeSantis has been investing heavily in the state. He’s completed a tour of all 99 Iowa counties and secured the endorsement of Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.
“The very very early results show Trump winning big, but the early network call is a little questionable. People are still at caucus sites, and they have phones – how many people see the call and bail?” Semafor reporter David Weigel said on X, one of a number of voices questioning the early call.