Here Are The Winners And Losers Of The Democratic and Republican Iowa Caucuses

Here are the winners and losers of the Republican and Democratic caucuses in Iowa.

Winners:

1). Bernie Sanders – No matter who is officially declared the winner in Iowa, by running 50/50 with Clinton in the Hawkeye State makes Bernie Sanders a winner. Sanders now moves on to some nearby home turf of New Hampshire where he has a huge lead. Bernie Sanders delivered big in Iowa.

2). Ted Cruz- Cruz slayed the myth of the unbeatable Donald Trump. He out organized and out worked Trump in Iowa. The big turnout that the pundits thought would benefit Trump sealed the deal for Cruz. Ted Cruz turned Trump into a loser and scored a big victory in the battle to be the GOP’s anti-establishment candidate.

3). Marco Rubio- Rubio performed better than expected and delivered a strong third place. Rubio has established himself as the clear choice of the Republican establishment. Rubio is already talking about uniting the conservative movement. This was a huge night for Rubio.

Losers:

1). Donald Trump- Trump promised major wins to his supporters then came out and fell flat on his face. Trump’s whole campaign was built on bluster, and that hot air has been proven to be empty. The reality television star became what he hates the most. Donald Trump is a now a loser.

2). Hillary Clinton- Even if Clinton is declared the winner, she split the caucuses with Bernie Sanders. The idea that Clinton will have an easy ride to the nomination has been shattered. Bernie Sanders brought out the younger and new voters in droves. Clinton relied on traditional Democratic voters, and it wasn’t enough to deliver her a clear win.

3). Jeb Bush- 97% of Republican voters rejected the Bush family in Iowa. The Bush dynasty is officially dead, and the Republican Party no long belongs to the Bushes. There is no bigger sign of the decline of the moderate middle of the GOP than the complete failure of the Jeb Bush campaign.

4). Martin O’Malley and Mike Huckabee- Both of these candidates suspended their campaigns after poor showings in Iowa. Huckabee will likely go back to Fox News and selling quack medical cures. Martin O’Malley could have a very bright future, but it was never meant to be in 2016.
5). Sarah Palin- Palin was supposed to be the big gun endorsement that put Trump over the top in Iowa. Instead, Trump lost to the candidate that Palin threw to the curb. The idea that Palin is a kingmaker has been crushed. Sarah Palin is old news, and her endorsement might have hurt instead of helped Trump.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association