Both Clinton and Sanders vow to press on as the latter claims political revolution.
Clinton and Sanders were locked in a sharp contest for Iowa State’s delegates as they battled for Democratic nominations for the US presidency. The prize was the momentum that comes with winning the country’s first contest.
During the counting of the votes during the night, Clinton and Sanders were separated by a very narrow margin – less than a single percentage point. Hillary Clinton was holding a very tiny lead. Iowa Democratic Party’s tabulations revealed that Hillary’s advantage was only 49.8 percent of delegated as compared to 49.6 percent for Sanders.
Bernie Sanders told his cheering supporters that despite the results not being fully known, it looked as if the votes were a tie. He also said that the people of the state of Iowa had sent a very profound message.
Mrs. Clinton, on the other hand, told her supporters that a long battle was ahead of them – a battle in which either her pragmatism will endure or Bernie Sanders will succeed in bringing about his own version of a political revolution.
“It is rare that we have the opportunity we do now: to have a real contest of ideas, to really think hard about what the Democratic Party stands for.” She said
She also said that she was breathing a big sigh of relief though the results did not offer her a clear victory that she was hoping to achieve.
The vote was almost a tie which means that the state will send almost the same number of delegates for Clinton and Sanders to the national convention of the party in summer. The nominees will be officially selected during the convention. Bernie Sanders is now in a position to claim at least a measure of victory, having given the favorite frontrunner a really tough time.
The senator from Vermont, who barely made a mark when he entered the presidential race, has gained fresh momentum. He has also shown that he has the ability to raise a reasonable amount of money. In January, he was Bernie Sanders was able to raise 20 million dollars. Most of these donations are below the legally allowed limit which means that he can squeeze his donors some more.
The next Clinton and Sanders clash is set to occur in New Hampshire where the latter is in a strong position leading by 18 points. Clinton is heading in the states that will come after New Hampshire however; the results in Iowa may throw quite a few swing votes into Sanders’ basket.
Bernie Sanders’ main support base comprises of the young voters – liberal, idealist and left-wing. Most of them were first time caucus goers. Clinton’s, on the other hand, tapped into her support base of old voters and married women. She is also a favorite of those people who think that America should be led by an experienced person.
The truth goes something like this. Hillary Clinton has been organizing in Iowa since forever. She was the presumptive nominee, scooped up all the experienced people, had all the money, got all the endorsements, built a massive professionally run organization, took a commanding lead in the polls, and prepared to soundly thrash any opposition and EVERYONE believed she would, but she blew a HUGE lead in the polls and barely escaped with her political skin intact. She managed to run out the clock. She is fortunate that the caucus was not held a week or two later. All knowledgeable observers know that the results of this caucus represents a huge POLITICAL victory for Bernie Sanders and Hillery Clinton’s weakness as a candidate was on full display.