With 100% of precincts reporting, Pete Buttigieg and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders are in a virtual tie for first. Sen. Elizabeth Warren is third in the nationally ridiculed Iowa Democratic caucus.
Here are the results:
- South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg 26.2%
- U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders 26.1%
- U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren 18%
- Former Vice President Joe Biden 15.9%
- U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar 12.3%
The Iowa Democratic Party released preliminary results Tuesday afternoon, after an almost 24-hour delay they claimed were caused by technical difficulties and quality-control measures.
Biden’s third presidential bid enters a critical stretch after a disappointing finish in the Iowa caucuses sent the former vice president to New Hampshire with a skittish donor base, low cash reserves and the looming threat of billionaire rival Michael Bloomberg and his unlimited personal wealth.
In New Hampshire on Tuesday, Biden insisted he had a “good night” in Iowa even as he trailed Buttigieg, the top moderate candidate, and Sanders, the leading progressive.
That leaves some establishment Democrats, including some Biden supporters, questioning his contention that he’ll reclaim clear front-runner status in the race against President Donald Trump once the primary fight moves beyond overwhelmingly white Iowa and New Hampshire to more racially diverse electorates.
And it’s a reminder of how Biden’s previous presidential campaigns never advanced beyond Iowa.
Sanders, a 78-year-old self-described democratic socialist, has been a progressive powerhouse for decades, while the 38-year-old Buttigieg’s early standing cemented his transformation from a little-known Indiana mayor to a legitimate force in the 2020 contest. Buttigieg is also the first openly gay candidate to earn presidential primary delegates.
On Tuesday, Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Troy Price apologized for the delay in a nationally televised news conference and called the entire episode “unacceptable.”
Price stressed the results reported Tuesday afternoon were accurate and there was a paper trail that will verify their validity. However, he did not respond to reporters’ questions about when all 100% of the vote will be reported.
»MORE: Clinton campaign vets linked to Iowa caucus debacle
The leading candidates pressed on in next-up New Hampshire, which votes in less than a week. Bloomberg sensed opportunity, vowing to double his already-massive advertising campaign and expand his sprawling staff focused on a series of delegate-rich states voting next month.
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Technology problems and reporting “inconsistencies” kept Iowa Democratic Party officials from releasing results from Monday’s caucus, the much-hyped kickoff to the 2020 election. 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.
»MORE: New Hampshire Dem primary too close to call, new poll says
With less than a week to go, New Hampshire’s Democratic primary is wide open, with a close race for the lead and a large share of likely voters who say they could still change their mind, according to a new poll released Monday.
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