Republican Party leader Donald Trump won a widely expected victory in the Iowa caucuses - the first vote in the 2024 presidential race - US media forecasts showed.
CNN and CBS were quick to predict a result in Trump's favor over former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, though the margin of his victory was not immediately clear.
TV stations announced the end of the race across the state just 30 minutes after the polls opened.
Trump hopes to consolidate his victory as the Republican nominee by narrowly defeating Haley and DeSantis.
Iowa accounts for less than two percent of the delegates awarded statewide in the process of choosing a party flagship, so a successful night by no means guarantees success for the rest of the nomination season.
But a strong showing is essential for candidates hoping to springboard to New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina and then the White House. /BGNES