DeSantis poised for second, Haley third in Iowa GOP caucuses | 15 Jan 2024 | Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is poised to finish second in the Iowa GOP caucuses, while former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is poised for third place, according to a projection from Decision Desk HQ. DeSantis’s second-place finish comes after the Florida governor invested heavily in the Hawkeye State. His performance in Iowa was seen as make-or-break, and recent polling had shown Haley edging past him. Both candidates were eclipsed, however, by former President Trump, who as of this publication had just over 50 percent of the vote.