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The Press is Having a Post-Iowa Breakdown
Down-and-probably-out Republican candidates, depressed Democrats, and Donald Trump, Donald Trump, Donald Trump.
Before Iowa, the media landscape was littered with hopeful predictions that a late-breaking snowstorm, moderate Republicans, a coalition of anti-Trumpers —something, anything — might derail former Donald Trump’s path to the Republican nomination.
“Haley seems poised for second place in Iowa,” moped Dan Balz for the Washington Post on Tuesday. “But can she deliver her voters?”
“Iowa reveals the grim indignities of running for second place to Trump,” wrote Balz. “The former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina governor has been gaining ground in Iowa. The Iowa Poll released on Saturday night showed her running ahead of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who has staked his candidacy on this state. Whether she has the political muscle to deliver on that showing is one of the key questions the caucuses should answer.”
“Iowa Can Put Ron DeSantis Out of His Misery Tonight,” speculated John Nichols for The Nation on Tuesday morning.
“The Florida governor’s presidential bid has already crashed and burned, but a major caucus defeat could finally get him off the campaign trail,” projected Nichols. “Ron DeSantis is not going to be the Republican nominee for president in…