Nikki Haley after projected third-place finish in Iowa: “I can safely say tonight, Iowa made this...a two-person race.”

After her projected third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses behind Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley claimed that “Iowa made this Republican primary a two-person race” between her and Trump.

While speaking at her Iowa headquarters Monday night, the former UN ambassador said, “At one point in this campaign, there were 14 of us running. I was at 2% in the polls. But tonight, Iowa did what Iowa always does so well.”

“The pundits will analyze the results from every angle. We get that,” the former South Carolina governor continued. “But when you look at how we're doing in New Hampshire, in South Carolina, and beyond, I can safely say, tonight, Iowa made this Republican primary a two-person race.”

In his victory speech after being projected the overwhelming winner, Trump appeared to chide Haley and DeSantis, congratulating the two of them “for having a good time together.”

While touting his second-place finish Monday night, DeSantis ranted about the volume of attacks on him and accused the media of bias against him: “They threw everything but the kitchen sink at us … They even called the election before people even got a chance to vote!”