Here's what happened in Iowa last night

The election has officially arrived. Here’s what happened. [Vox.com logo](www.vox.com)   Hello, The voting in the Republican presidential contest has begun, with [Donald Trump’s big Iowa caucuses win]( cementing his status as the overwhelming favorite to secure the nomination, and setting the stage for unprecedented challenges to American democracy in the year to come — challenges that we at Vox will cover in detail. But before we get into the coverage, I have one favor to ask of you. Vox believes in clear, nuanced journalism that helps everyone understand the world around them, regardless of their ability to pay. We’re able to do this work in part because of our recurring supporters, whose contributions we can count on month in and month out to keep Vox free for all. If you’ve enjoyed any of our work, will you consider starting a monthly contribution of just $5 today? As an expression of our gratitude for becoming a monthly contributor, you’ll get access to exclusive behind-the-scenes community content — and we’ll be able to plan our 2024 coverage knowing that we have you with us. [Yes, I'll give to help keep Vox free]( - Start here: Nicole Narea covers how [Iowa accidentally became the start of the presidential rat race](. - Three years ago, it seemed as though Trump’s grip on the Republican Party might be slipping. So what happened between then and last night’s decisive victory? [Eric Levitz explains](. - [Is it over yet](? Trump is expected to be the Republican nominee, but there’s still a long way to go after Iowa. Here’s what to expect next. - I wrote about [why the Iowa caucuses matter so much in the political world](: Even though Iowa has a very small number of actual delegates, the results from Iowa often help shape perceptions for the rest of the primary race. - While Ron DeSantis didn’t come out on top last night, his loss can still shed some light on the future of the Republican Party. Zack Beauchamp digs into [why DeSantis’s plan to be “more Trump than Trump” failed](, and where he and other GOP candidates can go from here. - Prefer to listen to your journalism? We’ve got a[brand-new episode of Today, Explained]( where Sean Rameswaram and Noel King discuss the aftermath of 2024’s first contest. Will you support us as we cover the 2024 election? [Yes, I'll contribute]( Thank you, and more soon. Andrew Prokop Senior politics correspondent, Vox   [Vox logo]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. [Unsubscribe]( from this email or [manage your email preferences](. View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.