CNN host Jake Tapper looked stunned Monday evening when the network announced former President Donald Trump's victory in Iowa less than an hour after the Iowa caucuses began. .

CNN and other networks declared Trump the winner within 40 minutes of Iowa's first caucuses. Trump won 52% of the vote, and 36.1% of the votes were counted. according to Meanwhile, Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was in second place with 20.19%. (Related: 'She's not going to do this': Chris Christie caught on hot mic saying Nikki Haley 'is going to get smoked' on election)

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“This is the earliest I can remember making a call like that,” Tapper told CNN host Erin Burnett.

President Trump received 52.5% support from RealClearPolitics. average A poll of Iowa caucus attendees from January 5th to 14th found former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley at 18.8%, DeSantis at 15.7%, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy at 6.8%. Ta.

“They expected him to win. If he didn't, obviously in their world it would be like a meteor hitting the Earth,” said CNN host and former Daily Caller. White House correspondent Caitlan Collins said. “Their question is, what are the margins going to be? And you see them doing that – Donald Trump is talking. His sons are talking. He has allies. The fact that they have operatives in every district making their case to everyone in the caucus speaks to the moment we are in.”

The Republican candidates will face off in the New Hampshire primary scheduled for January 23rd.

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