Cruz Wins Iowa Republican Caucus; Clinton, Sanders Still Too Close To Call

Ted Cruz, a fiery, conservative Texas senator loathed by his own party’s leaders, swept to victory in Iowa’s Republican caucuses, overcoming billionaire Donald Trump.

And leading up to the caucuses, trusted pollsters had Trump ahead in Iowa with 28 percent, with Cruz in 2nd with 23 percent.

Democrats Hillary Clinton and socialist Bernie Sanders were locked in a “virtual draw” during a remarkably tight race after the first votes of the United States presidential campaign were cast.

“Tonight is a victory for the grassroots”.

“Iowa has sent notice that the Republican nominee and next president of the United States will not be chosen by the media, will not be chosen by the Washington establishment”, he told supporters.

The Iowa Democratic Party, however, declined to rule in the race, placing Clinton slightly ahead of Sanders but saying there were still outstanding results in one precinct.

Meanwhile former Republican presidential hopeful and Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has removed himself from the race after gaining just 2 per cent of the vote. “No candidate who has finished less than third place has ever gone on to win the White House”, she said.

Clinton, 68, said she was breathing a “big sigh of relief” after the results.

Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) delivered a shocking rebuke to Clinton’s unmatched ground-level campaign organization.

USA Today reports that Clinton’s campaign said it won a slim victory, although Sanders’ campaign said there are questions about results in several counties.

“They told me that I needed to wait my turn, that I needed to wait in line”, a pleased Rubio told his backers.

A Quinnipiac University opinion poll of probable Iowa voters released on Monday shows Mr Sanders in front of Clinton, by 46-43%. Clinton hoped for a strong finish against Sanders to vanquish his insurgent candidacy.

Cruz ended the night with eight delegates, while seven went to Trump, seven went to Rubio, three went to Ben Carson, one went to Sen. The former governor of Maryland announced earlier in the vote count that he would suspend his campaign. And I said, “but I have friends in Iowa, I know a lot of people in Iowa, I think they’ll really like me”. But, as CNN said, Trump’s moment of truth has arrived, and Americans have bought less into the theatrics than expected.

In this scenario, I believe Sanders remains a viable long shot candidate, especially if his margin of victory in New Hampshire is reasonably impressive.