Donald Trump expected to WIN 2024 Republican caucus in Iowa: Ex-president, 77, storms to historic victory, crushing rivals Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley

Donald Trump is expected to win the Iowa caucuses in a landslide victory over Republican rivals Governor Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy.

The historic landslide occurred despite arctic temperatures and the Hawkeye State being buffeted by snowstorms that were expected to decimate turnout.

It gives Trump a major boost as he tries to clinch the Republican presidential nomination and return to the White House in what would be the most remarkable political comeback in American history.

Fox News and CNN both called the race just 33 minutes after polls opened, and after only 319 votes had been counted.

On the ground, it was clear that Iowans were most excited about voting for Trump, rather than the other candidates.

His supporters were willing to spend hours outside in subzero temperatures to see him at a Sunday rally in Indianola after he had to cancel three other rallies in Iowa this weekend due to severe winter weather.

Trump packed venues across the state, often needing overflow space to fit his audience.

A supporter of former President Donald Trump waits in line for the ex-president's rally on Sunday in Indianola, Iowa. Some Trump fans spent hours in subzero temperatures to see Trump ahead of the 2024 Iowa caucuses

Supporters of former President Donald Trump wait in line in subzero temperatures on Sunday to see the ex-president headline a rally in Indianola, Iowa, ahead of Monday's Iowa caucuses

One of the buttons for sale Sunday at former President Donald Trump's rally in Indianola, Iowa. The ex-president was forced to cancel three other rallies due to two snowstorms and then subzero temperatures that roiled the Hawkeye State

Shortly before being declared the winner, Trump addressed his supporters at a caucus location in Des Moines, where he was greeted with raucous cheers and applause.

He told them, “I would appreciate your vote. I think I deserve it. Three years ago we were a big country and today people laugh at us.

“We've done work like, honestly, no one has done in a long time. We had no terrorists. No people flowed into our country. We haven't had an invasion where people have been pouring in and coming in from prisons all over the world, from mental institutions and insane asylums all over the world. Terrorists are coming in now.”

He added: “This is the start of something important. These are the most important elections in the history of our country.

“Look what has happened to our country in the last short period of time. I think especially with all the bad things going on in Afghanistan, the worst thing is retreat. That was a surrender.'

In the final Real Clear Politics average of polls, the ex-president was 33.7 points ahead of Haley, the former US ambassador to the United Nations.

In most surveys leading up to Monday night's caucuses, she had fallen to second place, ahead of DeSantis, the governor of Florida.

Trump's campaign was more organized this time than in 2016.

He lost the 2016 Iowa caucuses to Texas Senator Ted Cruz.

Each caucus location had a designated Trump Caucus Captain – known to the public by their distinctive white hats with gold lettering.

That Caucus Captain gave a speech on Trump's behalf before voting began on the ground.

Ahead of caucus night, Gary Leffler, Trump's caucus captain for West Des Moines' District 118, told DailyMail.com that the ex-president's operation was the most organized.

“This is by far their best effort yet,” he said, explaining that he had attended caucuses when Trump was voting in 2016 and 2020. 'They've figured it out. They are doing very well.'

Leffler, who attended an event with Donald Trump Jr. at the Machine Shed Restaurant in Urbandale, Iowa, on Thursday, then showed reporters pages and pages of names of voters he had to call to remind them they were at the caucuses on Monday night had to appear.

Former President Donald Trump joked during his rally in Indianola on Sunday that even if voters are sick, they should show up for him. “When you're sick as a dog, you say, honey – even if you vote and then die, it's worth it,” he said

Trump's fear ahead of the caucuses was that his lead in the polls on his behalf would reduce voter turnout somewhat due to the forecast bad weather.

He repeatedly told his audience to vote as if the polls were close by.

“So get out and vote. Don't listen to the polls. Basically pretend you're 40 points higher or some crazy number…pretend you're one point lower. You are one point lower. You have to get out and you have to vote, vote, vote!' he said at a rally in Clinton, Iowa on January 6.

At his Sunday rally in Indianola, he joked to the crowd that even if they weren't feeling well, they should go outside and caucus.

“When you're sick as a dog, you say, honey — even if you vote and then die, it's worth it,” he said.