Media projects Trump victory in Iowa caucus, DeSantis camp slams ‘election interference’

DES MOINES, Iowa – After former President Donald Trump was projected to take first place in Iowa’s Republican presidential caucus Monday night, DeSantis’ campaign had slammed news outlets for calling the race early for Trump with just dozens of votes counted.

“It is absolutely outrageous that the media would participate in election interference by calling the race before tens of thousands of Iowans even had a chance to vote,” said Andrew Romeo, communications director for DeSantis. “The media is in the tank for Trump and this is the most egregious example yet.”

Campaign manager James Uthmeier spoke on NBC News Monday night, spatting with a reporter over her comments that outlets called the race based on “data and science.”

DeSantis press secretary Bryan Griffin called the race calls “extremely disrespectful to the voters” who were still waiting to vote or listening to caucus speeches Monday night.

“At the site where @RonDeSantis was speaking in Dubuque, people were still waiting to be checked in when the media started making calls,” he said. “No one had even voted.”

“When Fox sent out this ‘breaking news’ people in the precinct I was monitoring in Des Moines were still speaking and had not even cast votes,” said Christina Pushaw, rapid response director for the DeSantis campaign. “Corporate media election interference.”

Next in the GOP primary is New Hampshire on Tuesday, Jan. 23.

Polling places Haley within striking distance of Trump in New Hampshire, but Trump still leads.