Rivals warn Sanders campaign plans to game Iowa results

[RandySF]

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Rival campaigns are sounding the alarm that Bernie Sanders could be planning to claim victory on Monday night — before the caucuses are concluded.

It’s a move, they say, that could have a significant effect on the outcome.

Sanders and his team have made clear their intention to tout the results of the first round of caucus voting Monday, even though the Iowa Democratic Party stresses that the only number that matters is the final delegate count.

Aides with two top-tier campaigns told POLITICO they worry the Sanders campaign or other pro-Sanders forces — which will be receiving unofficial precinct results from allies in real time — will disseminate that information through social media or publicly claim victory after the first vote, an act that could distort the eventual results in a variety of ways.

A claim of victory after the first vote could encourage supporters of weaker candidates to leave the caucuses early without realigning with another candidate. Or it could create an artificial bandwagon effect by encouraging some caucus-goers to jump to Sanders’ side under the belief that he will be the victor.




https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/02/berniesanders-campaigniowa-results-110318

[murielm99]

1. Of course.

That is why we should get rid of all caucuses. Results can be manipulated.

[Mr.Bill]

2. Well, to fall for that one,

you would have to be a first-time voter that wants to go to college for free.

[wyldwolf]

3. If true, classic Trumpian move, and those that buy it... classic Trumpists

[Blue_true]

4. When I read the title of the OP, the first thing I thought of was Trump.

I don't like a lot of the stuff that I am seeing from Sanders' campaign. I really hope that the actual results on the first round mirror the two college mock caucuses and his supporters storm out without going through the second round, so he gets no delegates.