Ted Cruz, the firebrand conservative senator, defeated billionaire Donald Trump in Iowa, the first state to vote in the race to choose a Republican nominee for the White House.
On the Democratic side former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in a virtual dead heat with her socialist rival Senator Bernie Sanders as some results remained outstanding. With 93 per cent of the state’s precincts having reported Mrs Clinton led Mr Sanders by 50.1 per cent to 49.3 per cent.
Mr Cruz won the bitterly fought Republican contest with 28 per cent compared to 24 per cent for Mr Trump, and 23 per cent for Marco Rubio, the Florida senator who performed better than expected. At a victory rally in a cavernous hall at the Iowa State Fairground a jubilant Mr Cruz told The Telegraph: “America needs new leadership.” In a speech he told hundreds of cheering supporters, many in “Cruz” American football shirts, it was a “victory for the grass roots”.
Hillary Clinton appears to have taken a lesson from her rival’s surge, emphasizing her progressive credentials as she addresses her supporters in Iowa with the Democratic race still too close to call. “I am a progressive who gets things done for people. I am honoured to stand in a long line of American reformers,” she says, before listing a number of progressive policy initiatives she intends to pursue.
She has clearly come to the realization the Bernie Sanders is in the race for the long haul. “I am excited about really getting into the debate with Senator Sanders about the best way forward for America,” she says to cheers. “Join me, let’s go win the nomination, thank you all and God bless you,” she says before giving a hug to her husband and a wave to the enthusiastic crowd.
