These maps explain how rural voters gave Ted Cruz the win in Iowa

Cruz — Strongest in rural areas

Precincts where Cruz finished...

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Voters in rural precincts gave Cruz one-third of all their votes. It was a solid blue-ribbon farm-country showing, given the crowded Republican slate. It also helped Cruz that increased turnout across the state brought even more voters to the rural caucuses.

Cruz held Des Moines and much of the East and North. He and Trump divided up the northern tier of the state.

Trump — Consistent across the state

Precincts where Trump finished...

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Trump pulled support from across geography and ideology. While Des Moines and the university towns of Ames and Iowa City were weak spots, Trump ran strong in western rural areas and by the Mississippi in the east. Almost half of Trump’s votes came from areas won by 2012 establishment candidate Mitt Romney, and almost as many from areas won by Rick Santorum, that year’s evangelical favorite.

Rubio — Led the urban vote

Precincts where Rubio finished...

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Rubio took a close third, despite winning far fewer counties, because he won or came close in vote-heavy urban areas. The Florida senator beat both Cruz and Trump in towns and cities.

But the rural precincts punished Rubio. There, he was 10 points behind Trump and trailed Cruz by 15.