Halperin was asked his writing that “Most importantly, we’ve reached a turning point with Trump, the major establishment campaigns of both parties now think Trump could win Iowa, and most of them think he could win the nomination, and a significant number think he could win the White House.” And that the campaigns were in “full freak out mode.”

He said, “Trump may not end up as the nominee, but right now, he’s changed the race, not just leading in the Fox poll, but coming to the fair. I’ve been to the fair with Barack Obama at his peak, Sarah Palin at her peak, with other candidates, George Bush. The reception Trump got here was not just about celebrity. I walked with him for 45 minutes after the helicopter ride, he came to the fair, and people were yelling things to him with passion. ‘Save us,’ ‘You’re the only one who can stop Hillary,’ ‘Thank you for making America great again.’ The other campaigns — the other leading Republican campaigns, monitored Trump’s behavior here. And that was part, along with the Fox poll, and along with the developments of the last couple of weeks, of them saying, as you just quoted, they now believe Trump can win Iowa.”