But “we still have outstanding results in one precinct (Des Moines-42), which is worth 2.28 state delegate equivalents”. At 12:35 a.m. ET, Clinton held just a four-delegate advantage over Sanders.
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The victory for Cruz is the first time that the conventional laws of politics have applied to Trump, a billionaire businessman who has built his campaign around the perception that he’s a victor who can bring his unique skills to the White House. The New York Times reports that with 99 percent of precincts in, Clinton has 49.9 percent of the vote and Sanders has 49.6 percent.
Republican Marco Rubio also had a strong night in Iowa, which could set him up as the best placed potential establishment candidate to take on “outsider” challengers Cruz and Trump.
The anti-LGBT senator claimed his victory was a victory for the grassroots and “courageous conservatives” across the state and the country.
“The reason that we have done so well here in Iowa, the reason I believe we’re going to do so well in New Hampshire, and in the other states that follow, is the American people are saying no to a rigged economy”. And Mr Trump – even if his supporters did not turn out in the numbers expected – will surely remain a factor.
“On June 16th when we started this journey there were 17 candidates”.
Rubio was not expected to garner more than 20 percent of the vote in Iowa, but he did. I said “I have to do it”.
“Iowa, are you ready to make America great again?” I am just honoured.
Trump – who recently ditched his support for same sex marriage – appeared before his supporters to thank them for their work – and to claim he would win in New Hampshire next week, before making a swift exit from Iowa.
“I think he is extremely well spoken, very well educated and very smart on foreign policy and I think that is something that sort of hits everyone”, Waller said.
Clinton, who spoke to her crowd in the middle of Cruz’s victory speech, said she was breathing a “sigh of relief”.
“Nine months ago, we came to this lovely state, we had no political organization, we had no money, we had no name recognition, and we were taking on the most powerful political organization in the United States of America”.
“And tonight, while the results are still not known, it looks like we are in a virtual tie”, said the 74-year-old Vermont senator.
Former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, who had trouble gaining any traction in the Democratic race, suspended his campaign. The past two Republican caucus winners – former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Sen.
Polling in the state of New Hampshire, where Democrats head to the polls on February 9, has shown Sanders with a large lead, while Clinton leads in most of the following states in the race.
“When he sponsored the immigration bill, he took a lot of heat and theminute that heat got really hot, he ran the other way”, Christie said about Rubio.
Trump will be quick to point out that Iowa backed two deeply flawed GOP candidates in 2008 and 2012, neither of whom went on to win the party’s nomination.
He rode a wave of young voter turnout after his campaign worked hard to organize voters on college campuses across the state.
Mr Trump’s supporters were equally upbeat about his prospects in the race at his party about 10 minutes down the road.
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According to polls released in the few weeks leading up to Iowa, Trump and Cruz were in a tight race for first and second on the Republican side, with Rubio coming in at third.
