Donald Trump, who no one thought was a viable candidate for President just 6 short months ago, managed to come in a solid second place in today's Iowa caucuses. For some, the fact that he didn't come in first was shocking, for other's, it was a relief.

Throughout the entire election season thus far, Trump has been the voice of xenophobic hate talk, blathering about building walls, deporting immigrants, ridiculing disabled reporters and offending pretty much everyone except white Americans. The fact that he was poised to come in first in Iowa terrified many. Although, having Tea Party favorite, Ted Cruz, come in first may actually be more terrible in the long run.

Regardless, Trump took his narrow loss with grace and gave a fairly humble and short speech.

"Thank You. Thank you very much. I love you people. I love you people...I want to congratulate Ted and all the incredible candidates, including Mike Huckabee, who has become a really good friend....we are so happy with the way things worked out...thank my family...we have a poll where we are 28 points ahead in New Hampshire...we are leaving tonight. Tomorrow we will be in New Hampshire. I think we are going to be proclaiming victory, I hope. I don't know who is going to win between Bernie and Hillary...Hillary has other problems, maybe bigger than the problems she's got in terms of nominations, but we have had so many different indications and polls that we beat her and we beat her easily and we will go on to get the Republican nomination and we will go on to easily beat Hillary or Bernie or whoever they throw up there. Iowa, we love you..in fact, I might come and buy a farm."

So there you have it. Cruz narrowly coming in first, Trump in a solid second and Rubio surged to within spitting distance of both Cruz and Trump. Is is a close race on both sides. With 8 days until New Hampshire, expect the claws to come out and the venom to continue to rise to near toxic levels. This is not going to be an easy win for candidates in either party.

2016 is going to feel like the longest election cycle ever, folks. Buckle up, it's gonna be a bumpy ride.