Trump projected winner of the Iowa Caucus in the first contest of the presidential cycle

Former President Donald Trump won the Iowa caucuses on Monday evening, CNN and MSNBC are reporting.

This comes as a long string of polling predicted the former president would carry the first in the nation contest with a considerable lead. The second place finisher is still too close to call as caucuses unfold throughout the evening.

The Iowa caucuses unfolded in one of the most brutal cold snaps on record during such a contest, with the wind chill plunging effective temperatures to sub-zero conditions, creating an obstacle for caucusgoers to get out and make their voices heard.

Trump spent the home stretch of the caucus urging his supporters to get out and take nothing for granted, even if it means their death. Eager to cement an early win, scoring over 50 percent would establish Trump as the inevitable nominee in 2024.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who has seen his position in the primary polling gradually slip over the last few months, campaigned relentlessly in Iowa and tried to improve his standing by rolling out endorsements from prominent evangelical leaders, which Trump asserted, with no evidence, he obtained by paying them off.

The next contest in the cycle is the New Hampshire primary, where polls show Trump's rivals are considerably more competitive against him.

CNN political analyst and long-time Democratic strategist Paul Begala explained on Sunday that at its absolute best, about 25 percent of Iowa voters attend the caucuses.