Iowa Caucus: Pete Buttigieg leads the way ahead of Bernie Sanders

Text by: RFI Follow

The partial results announced this Tuesday evening place Pete Buttigieg at the top of the Democratic primaries in Iowa.

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Pete Buttigieg created the surprise in the race for the Democratic candidacy for the American presidential. This Tuesday, in Iowa, the 30-year-old took advantage of a short header over Senator Bernie Sanders, according to partial results, thus establishing himself as an essential candidate in the primaries of his party.

On 62% of the polling stations, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, obtained 26.9% of the delegates from Iowa, against 25.1% for Bernie Sanders. Elizabeth Warren, who represents the party's left wing with the latter, came third with 18.3%, followed by Joe Biden (15.6%) and moderate senator Amy Klobuchar (12.6%).

Pete Buttigieg celebrated an “ astounding victory ”. " This campaign started a year ago with four permanent staff, not a known name, no money but a great idea, " said the 38-year-old gay candidate, before supporters gathered in New Hampshire.

The final results could differ, and it is not known when they will be announced, due to a computer bug which transformed this first deadline into a fiasco. The vote for Iowa, a small rural state that always speaks first, was done Monday evening not by ballot but in assemblies where voters regroup and count themselves by candidate, in two rounds, a system of Complex and criticized “caucus”.

► Read also: Five things to know about the Iowa caucus

These first figures sound in any case like a slap for Joe Biden, who presented himself throughout the campaign as the only candidate capable of uniting the Americans. They also reveal that Pete Buttigieg scores well in the rather conservative rural counties that were coveted by the former vice president. The age of the candidates undoubtedly played a role. Pete Buttigieg is 40 years younger than Joe Biden, recalls our special correspondent , Anne Corpet .

Bernie Sanders, he conquered the east of the state, more industrial, and he made a breakthrough in the counties where the Latin Americans live. A good omen for the figure of the left wing of the democratic party, which launched several months ago a vast campaign near this part of the population, in particular in California, a crucial State for the conquest of the nomination.

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• United States
• USA elections 2020

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