Iowa decides ... sort of

Iowans were sitting on the edge of their seats for a very long time on caucus night. Depending on what time this article is released, they may still be awaiting results from the Iowa caucus.

Results, at least from the Democratic side, were heavily delayed, much to the chagrin of visiting media outlets and those voters who stuck it out at their precincts. By comparison, Republican precincts finished much sooner. The Des Moines Register was reporting a majority of results before the opposite party was releasing anything official.

Iowa Democratic Party Communications Director Mandy McClure released a statement explaining the affiliate “found inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results.” Precincts were utilizing tech systems to tabulate results in addition to photos and a paper trail for validation. Results need to be checked to “ensure that we have confidence and accuracy,” McClure said.

“This is simply a reporting issue,” she added. “The app did not go down and this is not a hack or an intrusion. The underlying data and paper trail is sound and will simply take time to further report the results.”

Prior to the results confusion, the energy at precincts was varied, depending on location. Larry Hurto, a contributing writer for Newton Daily News, visited both Republican and Democratic precincts around the area and spoke with several guests. Some areas, he reported, were packed with voters, while others not so much; however, the caucusing process was in full effect.

At Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, longtime Democrat Carol Kramer transitioned from temporary chair into permanent chair with ease and with no other nominations from the crowd. Kicking off the caucusing with a speech, Kramer encouraged party faithfuls to elect a candidate who can defeat
incumbent President Donald Trump.

This message resonated with Cindy Sowder, 58, who considers herself a stay-at-home grandmother. Sowder moved to Jasper County in 2018. For the past few months, she had been thinking who would be best to nominate. Although she liked most of the Democratic candidates, Sowder ultimately decided on former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden.

“He’s got a really good reputation around the world,” she said, noting she had also caucused for former president Barack Obama. “He’s also a kind man.”

Sowder’s husband, Jim, said he was voting from the heart and named Biden as his top choice. The couple differ on their No. 2 choice: Sen. Elizabeth Warren for her, former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg for him.

Most would agree these three candidates, among others, are likely frontrunners. First-time caucuser Catherine Deutsch, 76, of Newton, locked in an underdog: former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. She, too, has Buttigieg as a second pick, but also enjoyed Sen. Amy Klobuchar. Still, Bloomberg is at the top of her list.

“He seems like a nice guy,” she said, citing his experience as a three-term mayor as a plus. Deutsch thinks Bloomberg “knows how to get along with people.” She also noted his work with “humongous organizations” as a positive attribute. Still, she lamented his lack of campaigning in Iowa.

Presidential candidates have been campaigning throughout Iowa’s 99 counties almost as long as the last election. Jasper County hosted numerous visits from Democrats vying for the White House seat currently held by President Donald Trump. Former Mass. Gov. Bill Weld

Days before caucuses, the Republican president held a rally in Des Moines and wasted no time admonishing his opponents — labelling them “radical, socialist Democrats” — and predicting he would defeat them in November. During their stays in Iowa, Democratic candidates lobbed plenty of insults at the president.

At the rally, Trump also referenced a New York Times and Sienna College poll that pitted him against every Democratic candidate in the race at this time, claiming he was “winning by a lot” and “beating them all.” However, the New York Times’ Trip Gabriel and Jeremy W. Peters reported the poll has Trump only beating Buttigieg by one point and Biden by two points.

Still, Jasper County Republican Party Chairperson Thad Nearmyer suggested the Trump rally did what it was designed to do: it "fired up" supporters in time for caucus. At Community Heights Alliance Church, David Nunnikhoven, 65, observed most voters in attendance at the precinct were voting Trump. Weld may have received a few votes.

Nunnikhoven claimed money largely controlling the electoral process, lamented the disingenuous reporting from media and decried the “federal outlay for programs being used to get re-elected” has inevitably led to socialism.

By midnight, about 95 percent of Republican precincts were reporting results, according to Des Moines Register. The Democratic candidates reported nothing.

Contact Christopher Braunschweig at 641-792-3121 ext. 6560 or cbraunschweig@newtondailynews.com