Five days after the doors closed on the Iowa caucuses, 100% of precincts have finally posted their polling, and the results are in. With 14 national delegates, Pete Buttigieg won the first state in the Democratic presidential primary season, followed by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders with 12 delegates, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren with eight, Joe Biden with six, and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar with just one.
As a matter of absolute importance, Iowa comprises a mere 1% of national delegates. But there’s no question that the state determines donation flows and the media narrative the masses follow, and Buttigieg’s vindication may just pave his way to dominate New Hampshire.
Unlike the Iowa caucuses, which both exclude non-Democrats and entail a great deal of effort to participate, Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary is open to Republican voters and requires a simple ballot. Hence, unconventional candidates such as Andrew Yang and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard have exerted disproportionate amounts of their early state campaigning in the Granite State, and newcomers may have a better chance.
Bernie Bros spent a week lambasting Buttigieg for his preemptive declaration of victory, but it’s clear that the former South Bend, Indiana, mayor is thoroughly vindicated. Buttigieg didn’t win the popular vote, and he never claimed to. He campaigned like a candidate wishing to win the only game that matters, and his delegate count reflects his success. A general-election Democrat doesn’t need to win college towns; President Trump will ensure that for them. But Buttigieg won the delegate count by dominating an overwhelming majority of Obama-to-Trump counties. For a neophyte candidate, he’s proving that his campaign is ready for prime time.
