With Iowa caucus results in limbo, New Hampshire primary becomes new focus for 2020 Democrats
The Iowa Democratic Party provided fresh details about inconsistencies in a new mobile app that was blamed for the chaos
As Democratic presidential campaigns wait for results from the Iowa caucuses after the first-in-the-nation voting contest descended into chaos on Monday night, a pack of leading candidates shifted their focus toward the next nominating contest in New Hampshire.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg all have events in New Hampshire throughout the day.
The Iowa Democratic Party provided fresh details on Tuesday morning about the inconsistencies in a new mobile app, created by tech firm Shadow, that was blamed for the chaos. Officials said the party began to enter data manually once it was clear there was an issue. Results are expected to be released at 5 p.m. ET.
“We have every indication that our systems were secure and there was not a cybersecurity intrusion,” the party said.
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The New Hampshire primary, scheduled for Feb. 11, could shed some much-needed clarity on the shape of the Democratic primary, after “inconsistencies” in reporting left both campaigns and voters uncertain about the outcome and with no clear frontrunner.
Early polls suggested that Sanders would capture Iowa, allowing him to sail through New Hampshire, where he’s at the top of the field, according to an aggregate of polls by RealClearPolitics. But without definitive results from Iowa, Sanders, who won New Hampshire in 2016, was not able to capitalize on that potential momentum — though several candidates tried to claim an early victory.
Biden suggested the final results would “be close,” but said the campaign was “feeling good,” while Sanders said he had a “good feeling” that “we’re going to be doing very, very well here in Iowa.”
Buttigieg was perhaps the most overt in his comments. “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 Monday night. "By all indications, we are going on to New Hampshire victorious.” (On Tuesday morning, he told CNN that he based his comments on his campaign's internal data from the Iowa caucuses).
SANDERS, BUTTIGIEG ARE WINNING THE 2020 CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISING RACE
IOWA CAUCUS CHAOS LINKED TO APP STARTED BY CLINTON CAMPAIGN VETERANS
Although New Hampshire offers just 24 delegates, winning it can provide pivotal momentum for campaigns that are desperate for cash heading into Super Tuesday (March 3), when voters in 14 states will cast their ballots. Complicating the process is that undeclared voters account for about 42 percent of the state’s voting bloc, according to New Hampshire’s secretary of state. Individuals who are undeclared or registered Democrats are allowed to cast a vote in the primary next Tuesday.
Democratic hopefuls also have a new obstacle to face: Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who's concentrating his unorthodox campaign, and his unlimited funds, on delegate-rich states like California. One of the wealthiest people in the world, Bloomberg is worth an estimated $60 billion and has vowed to use his vast personal fortune to finance his campaign.
The eighth Democratic debate is slated to take place on Friday, with seven candidates qualifying to appear on the stage in Manchester, New Hampshire.