Catch Up: Election 2016

Catch Up: Election 2016

Caroline McFarland, Writer

The 2016 Presidential Election is definitely heating up. To this date, the Iowa caucus and the New Hampshire primary have already concluded. Let’s catch up.

The Iowa Caucus took place on Feb. 1. On the Republican front, Senator Ted Cruz won with 27.6% and gained 8 delegates. Businessman Donald Trump came in second place with 24.3%, leaving with 7 delegates. In a close third place was Senator Marco Rubio with 23.1%, gaining 7 delegates as well. After the caucus, Former (Fmr.) Governor Mike Huckabee, Senator Rand Paul, and Fmr. Senator Rick Santorum suspended their campaigns.

But the Democratic side of this caucus was not so clear-cut. Fmr. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders came in a virtual tie. Clinton ended up with 49.9% and Sanders with 49.6%. According to MSNBC, this outcome is the “narrowest margin between two top Democratic presidential candidates in the Iowa caucus’ 44-year history.” Clinton left with 23 delegates and Sanders with 21. Martin O’Malley subsequently suspended his campaign.

After the extremely close and surprising results in Iowa, the New Hampshire primary was held on Feb. 9. As the first primary of the season, the anticipation was high. The results, however, were not as close as Iowa. Trump won with a large majority of 35.3%, acquiring 10 more delegates. Governor John Kasich came in second with 15.8%, leaving with 4 delegates. Cruz came in third place with 11.7% and 3 delegates. Gov. Chris Christie, Businesswoman Carly Fiorina, and Fmr. Governor Jim Gilmore withdrew from the race.

Although Trump won with a large majority of the votes, Sanders won with an even more overwhelming majority on the Democratic front. Sanders won with 60.4%, gaining 15 more delegates, compared to Clinton’s 38% and 9 delegates. But controversy emerged quickly after the primary; adding in the New Hampshire super delegates who have already committed to supporting Clinton, the primary resulted in a 15 to 15 delegate tie.

The race is now down to Trump, Kasich, Cruz, Fmr. Governor Jeb Bush, Rubio, and retired Neurosurgeon Ben Carson on the Republican side. The final two Democrats, Clinton and Sanders, are still fighting strong. The next events to watch are the South Carolina primaries and the Nevada caucuses. In South Carolina, the Republicans will be weighing in this coming Saturday, Feb. 20, while the Democrats will be voting next Saturday, Feb. 27. Nevada kicks off its caucuses the same day, with Democrats voting on Feb. 20 and Republicans on Tuesday, Feb. 23.