As the Wall Street Journal explains, a candidate who lacks 15% of caucus-goers at any of Iowa’s 1,600 caucus sites is considered “not viable”, meaning those supporters can choose to sit out or support another candidate.
Advertisement
O’Malley pitched himself in the campaign as both a fresh face in national politics, and as a person with a strong record of progressive accomplishments in his home state.
“As Mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland, O’Malley fought tirelessly for the people he represented, successfully leading the way through crisis, unrest and the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression”, DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said. As proof of his dedication to speak with as many Iowa voters as he could reach before the caucuses begin, the former Maryland governor held a town hall meeting at Iowa State University Monday at noon.
But O’Malley struggled to raise money and was polling in the single-digits for months despite campaigning actively in Iowa and New Hampshire.
The race was close between Clinton and Sanders, according to entrance poll interviews with early arrivals to caucus sites conducted by Edison Research for AP and television networks.
WBAL-TV 11 News contacted O’Malley’s campaign for comment but did not get a response.
And the Clinton and Sanders camps have each made a point of identifying O’Malley’s backers and persistently reaching out in an effort to become their second choice.
Jason Yates, a precinct captain Monday night for O’Malley at a caucus site outside Des Moines, said he was disappointed but not surprised.
While in seemingly good-spirits with supporters throughout the night, O’Malley’s demeanor changed dramatically when the crowd cleared and media interviewed him. Of the four delegates, three went to Sanders and one went to Clinton.
“It’s the nature of these contests that they get spirited and contrasts get drawn and we move on after the voters decide”, Swalwell said.
Hageman suggested a stronger-than-expected showing in Iowa would propel O’Malley going into New Hampshire while helping him stay in the race should either of the current front-runners flame out. It’s true when we say we barely knew you. “I am suspending this presidential bid, but I am not ending this fight”. As caucus results were still streaming in, Huckabee wrote on Twitter that he was “officially suspending my campaign”.
Advertisement
“We need to continue to hold strong to the truth that the endurance symbol of the United States of America is not the barbed wire fence”.
