DES MOINES — Donald Trump, who rose to the top of the Republican presidential field with a personal brand based on winning, suffered a humbling loss to Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the Iowa caucuses Monday.
A strong turnout by evangelical voters helped Tea Party favorite Cruz deal Trump a setback, after months in which The Donald had built a nationwide lead in polls.
With 99 percent of precincts reporting in Iowa early Tuesday, Cruz — a darling of the religious right who has antagonized Republican Party leaders in Washington — led Trump 28 percent to 24 percent.
“We finished second and I want to tell you something — I’m just honored,” said Trump, as the man famous for calling opponents “losers” graciously congratulated Cruz. “We’re just so happy with the way everything worked out.”
Saluting Iowans, he said, “I think I might come here and buy a farm — I love it.”
Cruz, in his victory speech, gave a nod to his evangelical support by starting: “Let me first of all say, to God be the glory.”
He won amid a record GOP turnout of 185,000. Most pundits had predicted that kind of showing would boost Trump, who was relying on new voters. But the crowd went for Cruz, who had been hailed for his well-organized ground game.
“Tonight is a victory for the grass roots,” Cruz said. “Tonight is a victory for courageous conservatives across Iowa and all across this great nation.”
He added, in a shot at Trump, “Tonight is a victory for every American who understands that . . . no one personality can right the wrongs done by Washington.”
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, meanwhile, had a stronger-than-expected showing, scoring 23 percent support.
“They told me I needed to wait my turn, that I needed to wait in line,” Rubio told his supporters, in what appeared to be a victory speech despite his third-place finish.
“But tonight, here in Iowa, the people of this great state have sent a very clear message — after seven years of Barack Obama, we are not waiting any longer to take our country back.”
The battle now shifts to New Hampshire, where Trump holds a 20-point lead over Cruz, his closest competitor, according to polling averages.
Trump went into the caucuses with a polling edge. But his celebrity status and slicing attacks on his rivals failed to carry the day in rural Iowa, where organization and faith-based appeals are driving factors.
The real estate baron made multiple efforts to display his religiosity in the final days before the caucuses, posting a video featuring his mother’s Bible and repeatedly stating how well he does with “the evangelicals.”
But Cruz made his own appeals, stressing prayer, conservative values, judicial appointments and a strict reading of the Constitution.
In the final days before the caucuses, Trump repeatedly branded Cruz a “liar” and questioned his eligibility to serve as president for having been born in Canada.
Trump’s plan was to draw supporters who had never caucused before. According to entrance polls, Trump was taking a third of first-time voters.
Evangelicals made up 62 percent of the electorate — even higher than the 56 percent in 2012.
In 2008 and 2012, the Iowa winner came from the conservative religious wing of the party — former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in 2008 and Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum in 2012.
Huckabee, with 1.8 percent in Iowa, suspended his campaign Monday night.
Ben Carson’s support, which was hovering near 10 percent, represented a collapse from polling only a few months ago. The campaign was forced to respond to rumors he was quitting the race as Carson headed to his home in Florida.
Other candidates were way behind. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was at 4 percent, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was at 3 percent, and John Kasich and Carly Fiorina were each at 2 percent.