What happens next if Sanders wins Iowa, NH?

Bernie Sanders dwindle, and some of her staunchest supporters – including husband Bill – now admit her campaign’s strategy may have left open the possibility that Sanders will foment a large wave of first-time voters in Iowa.

It’s unclear whether Sanders’s success in Iowa and New Hampshire will translate to other states, but it’s obvious Clinton has gotten nervous: This week, her campaign started lashing out at Sanders’s support for a single-payer health care system – using attacks that many commentators dubbed misleading. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and failing to undercut his archliberal message before it grew into a political movement that now has put him within striking distance of beating Hillary Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire.

“I think it is a new phase of the campaign”, said Joel Benenson, Clinton’s chief campaign strategist. As I said, this is not a normal election cycle.

Two out of every three Democratic voters under the age of 24 (68 percent) are backing Sanders, according to a new poll, versus just 26 percent supporting his main rival, Hillary Clinton. The former secretary of state told Fallon that she usually doesn’t watch the debates live because she loves “to be able to fast forward” through them.

One Clinton ally on Capitol Hill said some in the party are starting to seriously consider what it would mean for Democrats nationally if Sanders were to win.

In response, Clinton noted that Sanders’ campaign hasn’t revealed details about what his health care proposal would cost. The New Hampshire primary is February 9.

Thomas Hunt, a local comedian and “rickshaw driver”, with a day job doing data entry, organized the phone bank party ahead of Sunday night’s Democratic debate in an effort to further Sanders’ standing in Iowa, where he said the candidate is within a few points of presumed Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton.

“It’s about six months of communication versus 20 years”, said Marcus Ferrell, who is Sanders’ African-American Outreach Director, comparing Sanders to Clinton. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)’s growing strength in early battleground states and strong fundraising point to a campaign that could last well into the spring.

“She’s had a lot of tough press and a lot of pounding from the GOP where, at their last debate, they spent a lot of time criticizing her and Obama, (more) than they did each other”, Goldford said. Daughter Chelsea Clinton has offered critical words about Sanders, leading to a back-and-forth over his health care plan.

The former president’s presentation resonated with Marshalltown retirees Dan and Sandy Good, who are trying to decide between Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

“They’re very afraid of a repeat in 2008 and they’re getting very aggressive”, said Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver.

Sanders’ campaign has moved quickly to fundraise off the attacks, including a reported call on Saturday from a top Clinton outside ally for the 74-year-old senator to release his health records.