Bernie Sanders has taken over cable news, flooding the gyms and auditoriums of Iowa caucus sites documented by telegenic journalists in live time. But on the outskirts of the Hawkeye State, Joe Biden, Andrew Yang, and Amy Klobuchar are proving some of the only viable candidates in a number of precincts, and as it turns out, the rules of the caucuses may disproportionately harm those overperforming in rural areas.
For example, in Mitchell County’s 11th precinct, the three are the only viable candidates, with Klobuchar earning 13 supporters, Biden seven, and Yang five. Technically, Klobuchar ought to earn twice the county delegate count in the precinct than Yang, but since they’re in a small precinct, each of the three will likely earn one.
By contrast, urban areas add a premium to winning candidates, meaning that Bernie, who’s booming on college campuses, will likely earn a higher proportion of county delegates than his popular vote in each precinct.
You could almost say that the system is rigged — for once, for Bernie.
