Feb 04, 2020

Iowa holds its caucuses, we just don't know any results

Posted Feb 04, 2020 2:26 PM
Sen. Elizabeth Warren addresses supporters in Iowa/Photo courtesy of Radio Iowa
Sen. Elizabeth Warren addresses supporters in Iowa/Photo courtesy of Radio Iowa

By BRENT MARTIN

St. Joseph Post

A big thud in Iowa as Democrats caucus, but party officials don’t release results.

Officials promise results later today, claiming a technical glitch and reporting inconsistencies prevented a final tally.

Frustrated presidential candidates are claiming momentum and plowing ahead in their White House quests, now turning their attention to New Hampshire, for the first presidential primary.

It was an embarrassing twist after months of promoting the contest as a chance for Democrats to find some clarity in a jumbled field with no clear front-runner. Instead, caucus day ended with no winner, no official results and many fresh questions about whether Iowa can retain its coveted “first” status.

Former Vice President Joe Biden’s legal counsel sent Iowa Democratic Party officials a letter, citing "considerable flaws" in the caucus reporting system. Biden told supporters the results -- once revealed -- "would be close."

"The Iowa Democratic Party is working to get these results, get 'em straight and I want to make sure they're very careful in their deliberations," Biden said.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders addressed cheering supporters before 11 o'clock last night.

"I imagine, have a strong feeling that at some point the results will be announced," Sanders said, to cheers, "and when those results are announced, I have a good feeling we're going to be doing very, very well here in Iowa."

South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg addressed supporters in a Drake University gym.

"So we don't know all the results, but we know by the time it's all said and done, Iowa -- you have shocked the nation," Buttigieg said, to cheers. "By all indications, we are going onto New Hampshire victorious.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts got immediate feedback from a supporter when he addressed her crow last night.

"It is too close to call -- so I am just going to tell you what I do know," Warren said, and then one of her supporters yelled, "You won!" and the crowd cheered.

A candidate trying to make up ground on the leaders is Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who informed her supporters they wouldn’t know results that evening.

"You've probably heard we don't know the results, but I did not want to let another minute go by without thanking all of you," Klobuchar said. "...We know there's delays, but we know one thing: we are punching above our weight." Klobuchar suggested the results -- whenever they may be announced -- will show she is "on the board."

A prominent Iowa Democrat expressed fears the difficulty in reporting the results from the caucuses last night could deal a fatal blow to the state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses.

Co-Chair of the Des Moines County Democrats, Tom Courtney of Burlington, said he couldn’t report his results, that technical difficulties prevented him from calling in his numbers.

"Got ready to turn my stuff in to Des Moines...I never could get the app to work. Everybody complains about the app and we tried to call it in and we just couldn't. I guess they were swamped up there," Courtney told Radio Iowa. "...This may be the last Caucus we see in Iowa."

President Donald Trump's campaign manager weighed in, calling the delayed Democratic Caucus results "the sloppiest train wreck in history."

The chairman of the Iowa Republican Party issued a statement of support for Iowa Democrats, however, saying ensuring results are correct rather than quick is the right call.

At 1 a.m., Iowa Democratic Party chairman Troy Price made a statement to the media by phone, saying the party is manually verifying all results and will release those results later today.

Radio Iowa and the Associated Press contributed to this article.