However Mr. Sanders, talking at his New Hampshire marketing campaign headquarters, cited his lead in different, uncooked numbers which might be suc
However Mr. Sanders, talking at his New Hampshire marketing campaign headquarters, cited his lead in different, uncooked numbers which might be successfully an expression of the favored vote in Iowa.
“Even thought the vote tabulations have been extraordinarily gradual, we are actually at a degree, with some 97 p.c of the precincts reporting, the place our marketing campaign is successful the favored preliminary vote by some 6,000 votes,” Mr. Sanders stated, sounding annoyed however resolute. “In different phrases, some 6,000 extra Iowans got here out on caucus night time to assist our candidacy than the candidacy of anybody else. And when 6,000 extra individuals come out for you in an election than your nearest opponent, we right here in northern New England name {that a} victory.”
His announcement instantly put him at odds with Mr. Buttigieg, who has additionally declared victory. On the night time of the caucuses, he seized on the uncertainty to pre-emptively crown himself the winner — and has continued to take action since.
Mr. Sanders had a distinct tackle Thursday, nonetheless: With eight candidates competing in Iowa, and a voter turnout of, by his estimation, about 180,000, he referred to as his margin of victory “decisive.”
In unusually harsh phrases — at odds from the tone his marketing campaign struck earlier this yr — Mr. Sanders additionally laced into the Iowa Democratic Celebration, calling what occurred a “screw-up” and an “outrage.”
“I believe what has occurred with the Iowa Democratic Celebration is an outrage — that they had been that unprepared that they put forth such an advanced course of,” he stated, that relied on “untested expertise” and volunteers.
And he blamed the information media for placing “an excessive amount of emphasis” on the state delegate equivalents, that are a measure of the estimated variety of state delegates received by every candidate. In response to questions on his determination to declare victory amid inconsistencies and the decision for a recanvass, Mr. Sanders argued once more that he had received on the favored vote measure. “We received an eight-person election by some 6,000 votes. That’s not going to be modified,” he stated.
The mess in Iowa is in some methods a victory for Mr. Sanders, who has railed in opposition to the Democratic Celebration for years. Since 2016, when he narrowly misplaced to Hillary Clinton in Iowa, he and his allies have additionally raised questions concerning the caucuses and the way the state celebration reviews outcomes. Sanders allies instantly jumped on reviews that there have been inconsistencies this yr to precise vindication and name consideration to weaknesses within the course of.
“The truth that we now have clear outcomes of the favored vote is one thing that we fought for, that didn’t exist in 2016,” he stated. Although he stopped wanting casting doubt on the 2016 outcomes — “I don’t need to revisit 2016,” he stated — he did say there was “some supposition that we truly received the favored vote” that yr as effectively.
Along with declaring himself the winner on the primary rely — “the favored preliminary vote” — Mr. Sanders additionally stated he had received on the second rely, identified in Iowa as realignment. “In that course of,” he stated, “we are actually forward by over 2,500 votes.”