I think a lot of people people are trying real hard to read a lot more into Iowa than is actually there.
I hear you, but I'd state it a little differently. There's a lot there, but because we're in unchartered territory, understanding it is difficult.
Trump promised us a different kind of campaign, an old style one where people went to rallies, got involved, had fun, had hope. It was about being given a choice, not about the psyops manipulation of modern campaigns.
Trump delivered. He also delivered hope for the future and the inspiration of being a person who has succeeded in life and in business on his own term. Instead of going to a debate, he raised $6 million for Veterans, and a lot of us feel real good because we're part of that accomplishment.
What happened? Some of that percent of loss was votes stolen by Cruz from Dr. Carson. No ones talking about that. Were some of these new voters in caucus bullied into voting with their neighbors? Perhaps it could've been won by Trump on the cheap, with one forceful personality in each caucus room to engage Trump supporters to stick together. Messing that up falls on his Iowa campaign, I'd think.
It also says a lot about Iowa voters, and what it says I hope isn't true for the whole nation. It's a form of Stockholm Syndrome to accept abuse. Well, what came out of Cruz's campaign from December on, with badgering for donations, Shamegate, tricking Dr. Carson's supporters, is voter abuse, and it didn't bother them enough. If folks are going to ignore things that indicate the same old stuff is going on, the US is going to hit rock bottom, fast.
Voting for Rubio, I understand, he didn't abuse and bully voters, and is an articulate and intelligent candidate.
Meanwhile, I look at what Mr. Trump accomplished, and say WOW!! He woke people up to care about politics, he provided wonderful venues where people bonded, he got all of us involved and raised a lot of money that will get to Veterans, he brought himself and his family to the world of average folk and bonded with real people (how many of the elite even know we exist?). People will look back and say Trump gave the nation a chance to save itself. It's up to US to do the rest, get him to DC for four years, and begin to clean up the mess!
(this is my daily pre-coffee, thoughts upon waking up rant. I hope I avoided word switches and typos that change meanings)