– All to play for –
While Cruz is aiming to capitalize on his sudden momentum, Sanders returns to what can safely be described as his home turf in New Hampshire, with the potential to land a hammer blow against the former first lady Clinton and her dreams to be America’s first female commander-in-chief.
Democratic party chair Andy McGuire called the results “the closest in Iowa Democratic caucus history” and that was borne out in the final tally, which did not filter through until Tuesday late morning.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Clinton took 49.8 percent, against 49.6 for the Vermont senator Sanders, her sole remaining challenger for the Democratic nomination.
Brian Fallon, Clinton campaign spokesman, admitted to CNN that Clinton, who lost out to President Barack Obama last time and has railed against Wall Street and money in politics, faces an emboldened Sanders in New Hampshire.
“There’s no doubt that we go into this final week before New Hampshire slightly down (in the polls),” he said.
Experts say Clinton may be seeking to merely tread water for this next week, until the race shifts to South Carolina and Nevada, where she has commanding leads in the polls.
It was a gratifying night for 74-year-old Sanders, who has built a particular fanbase with young Americans on the left with his calls for “political revolution.”
Clinton may have inched past him in Iowa, but Sanders, who has called for a more equitable society, was claiming a victory of another sort.
“We started our campaign 40, 50 points behind,” he told CNN.
“I am proud of bringing a whole lot of young people into the political process that would revitalize American democracy. And if we’re going to change America, that’s what we’ve got to do.”
As the frontrunning contenders hits the ground running in New Hampshire, they leave behind several candidates – Republican Mick Huckabee and Democrat Martin O’Malley – who announced they were giving up on the White House after being mauled in Iowa.
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