it s one a. m. here in new york, midnight in iowa, and a very first test of the 2024 republican primary season is now complete. joining me now at the top of this hour, former obama campaign manager, msnbc political analyst, and my former boss david plouffe, former rnc chairman and co-host of the weekend, michael steele, former communications director for jeb bush 2016 campaign, and now writer at large for the bulwark tim miller, and former communications director for president obama jennifer palmieri. now, tonight in iowa, nbc news projected that donald trump won the caucuses with more than 50% of the vote. his numbers really cement the four-time indicted candidate status as the front-runner. we already knew this. but in the republican field, the race for second place, it had a bit more drama with nikki haley and florida governor ron desantis locked in a dead heat for most of the night. but as awkward as he may be at times, and he is awkward, desantis did put in the w