A Bernie Sanders Win in Iowa Could Prolong the Democratic Primary Fight
- Changes in 2020 challenge idea of “three tickets out of Iowa”
- Candidates begin to temper expectations before Monday caucuses
Bernie Sanders places his speech notes in his pocket after speaking at a campaign event in Sioux City, Iowa, on Jan. 26.
Photographer: Daniel Acker/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The increasing likelihood that Bernie Sanders could win Monday’s first-in-the-nation caucus threatens to fundamentally redraw the path to the Democratic presidential nomination and challenge the conventional wisdom that there are only “three tickets out of Iowa.”
Iowa often acts more as a bar bouncer than a kingmaker, culling the field but not anointing a leader. Candidates strive to finish in at least the top three to seize some momentum as they speed toward later nominating contests.