Fox News Decision Desk projects Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to come in second place at the Iowa caucuses.
DeSantis will be trailing former President Donald Trump by a wide margin, but a second place finish could give his campaign a much-needed boost.
DeSantis tried to assert herself as the true alternative to Trump in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, beating former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley to third place.
Trump secures victory in Iowa, others vie for second place in Republican presidential nomination race
Republican presidential candidates Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis. (Getty Images)
Haley will aim to regain support in New Hampshire ahead of next week's primary election.
Vivek Ramaswamy came fourth and announced that he would suspend campaigning.
The battle between Haley and DeSantis quickly heated up between the two Southern conservatives after businessman Ramaswamy's approval ratings slumped in the polls after the first presidential debate. Ms. Haley and Ms. DeSantis continued their battle in states such as Iowa, convincing voters that it was a two-candidate race between them and Mr. Trump.
Vivek Ramaswamy ends presidential bid after Iowa caucuses
Vivek Ramaswamy, chairman and co-founder of Strive Asset Management and 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at a campaign event in Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday, January 3, 2024. (Christian Monterrosa/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
It's unclear what path Haley will take, given Trump's overwhelming lead in the upcoming primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina, but recent polls suggest Ms. Haley is in second place in both elections, far behind Ms. DeSantis.
Ahead of the Fox News Decision Desk's runner-up decision, DeSantis' campaign told Fox News Digital in a statement that the former governor intends to move forward with his bid for the Republican nomination.
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“They threw everything at Ron DeSantis. They couldn't kill him. Not only is he still standing, he now has a ticket out of Iowa. It's going to be a long battle, but “That's what this campaign is going to build on.'' The stakes are too high for this country, and we're not going to back down,'' a senior member of the DeSantis campaign said.
Get the latest on the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more with Fox News Digital's Election Hub.
