12/04/2023

Joe Biden says he can’t “sugarcoat” the “gut punch” his campaign took in Iowa, but vows to continue.

Image copyrightReutersImage caption
Joe Biden came in a disappointing fourth place in the Iowa race
Joe Biden said the results of the first Democratic primary, where he came fourth, were a “gut punch”.
Mr Biden failed to secure a single delegate in the first vote to choose the Democratic presidential candidate.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat it,” Biden said. “This isn’t the first time in my life I’ve been knocked down.”
But the former vice-president vowed: “I’m not going anywhere” and told an audience in New Hampshire he was counting on them for their support.
New Hampshire will be the next state to vote on 11 February, and several candidates are actively campaigning there to drum up support.
Iowa, which has long defended its position as the first race in of the election year, has been beset by problems after its app for reporting results failed, leading to lengthy delays in delivering even the first preliminary results.
Mr Biden’s supporters were disappointed by the early results in the state, which is widely viewed as an opportunity for candidates to generate campaign momentum.
Nearly two days after results were expected, 86% of precincts have reported:

  • Pete Buttigieg has 26.7% of the vote, awarding him 11 delegates
  • Bernie Sanders has 25.4%, also with 11 delegates
  • Elizabeth Warren has 18.3% and five delegates
  • Joe Biden has 15.9%, which leaves him with zero delegates

Those delegates will eventually represent these candidates when the Democratic nominee is chosen later this year.
Other candidates who failed to secure a single delegate include Amy Klobuchar (12.1%) and Andrew Yang (1%).
Officials said a “coding error” in the system caused the delay in Iowa, firmly rejecting speculation that something more sinister, such as a hack, might have affected the results.