WASHINGTON — Sen. Marco Rubio placed third in the Iowa caucus Monday — behind Sen. Ted Cruz and businessman Donald Trump.
But you wouldn't know it from the speech Rubio delivered to his supporters, where he praised Iowans for helping him exceed expectations in the first primary contest of 2016.
"Tonight we have taken the first step, an important step, toward winning the nomination," Rubio, the first candidate to address his supporters Monday night, said to raucous applause.
.@marcorubio thanks #Iowa for helping him exceed expectations https://t.co/DXZRv7FUs6 https://t.co/z6yEIELS3v— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) February 2, 2016
With nearly all precincts reporting, Rubio held the third-place spot behind Trump, having won a little more than 23.1% percent of the vote against Cruz's 27.6% and Trump's 24.3%.
By exceeding expectations, Rubio now heads to New Hampshire's Feb. 9 primary with some momentum.
Meanwhile, other Republicans candidates such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and Ohio Gov. John Kasich are facing some serious hurdles in New Hampshire after taking less than 3% of the vote each.
I heard on a monitor @jaketapper say @marcorubio declared victory in the expectations game and Jake was right. @SenSanders may do same— Ed Henry (@edhenry) February 2, 2016
"They told me I needed to wait my turn, that I needed to wait in line," Rubio said of his performance. "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. This is not a time for waiting."