October 21, 2019

"Poll: Iowa caucuses are 'up for grabs' as Pete Buttigieg surges into top tier."

Headline at USA Today.
It's a new three-way race in Iowa.... The poll, taken Wednesday through Friday, put Biden at 18%, Warren at 17% and Buttigieg at 13% among 500 likely Democratic caucusgoers.... California Sen. Kamala Harris, who was then in second place after a strong showing in the first Democratic debate, has plummeted 13 percentage points and is now in a three-way tie for sixth [at 3%]. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders earned 9% support, the same number as in the June poll.

42 comments:

alanc709 said...

How long has it been since someone who won Iowa was the presidential nominee?

Michael K said...

Interesting that Zuckerberg and Facebook seems to have staffed Buttplug's campaign.

rosebud said...

I was down in Des Moines this last weekend. Saw a lot of signs for the upcoming November elections but the only signs I saw relating to the 2020 election were 8 Tulsi signs--3 billboards and 5 yard signs. Nothing for Buttigieg, nothing for Biden or Warren, not even anything for Trump. I saw one "Resist Trump" bumper sticker.

chuck said...

The Iowa Caucuses take place on February 2. Winter is coming.

Rusty said...

Is Warren up for a three way?
(You know somebody was going to say it)

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

That’s a fair indicator of their internal chaos and doubt, grasping at the hope of the moment until social media informs them it’s an empty one. The Democrats are building wonder weapons instead of armies.

Nonapod said...

Here's what the (D) Iowa Caucuses have looked like in the past:

2016
1. Hillary Clinton 49.9%
2. Bernie Sanders 49.6%

2008
1. Barack Obama 37.6%
2. John Edwards 29.8%
3. Hillary Clinton 29.5%

2004
1. John Kerry 37.1%
2. John Edwards 32.6%
3. Howard Dean 17.4%
4. Richard Gephardt 11.2%

2000
1. Al Gore 63.4%
2. Bill Bradley 34.9%

1992
1. Tom Harkin 76.5%
2. Uncommitted 11.9%
3. Paul Tsongas 4.1%
4. Bill Clinton 2.8%

Tom Harkin? That's interesting.

Automatic_Wing said...

Buttigieg seems like the type of candidate who might do reasonably well in Iowa and maybe NH, but won't win either one and won't make an impact anywhere else, really.

Bay Area Guy said...

Clearly, Kammy Harris is blowing her chances in Iowa.

Dave Begley said...

Iowa Dems aren't stupid. Mayor Pete wants to abolish the Electoral College which will make Iowa irrelevant in the general election. He backs the Green New Deal and that would crush the economy in Iowa.

There is no way this guy could win a general election. He is a failed mayor of a small town.

gilbar said...

up here in the Driftless area;
i've see
ONE sign for a democrat (Tulsi, at a crossroads of two gravel roads; been there all summer)
Many (MANY!) Trump signs, ALL next to farmers houses (next to signs saying (i'm Armed; are YOU?)

zipity said...


Interesting to see the competition to decide who gets to be destroyed by Trump.

Whirred Whacks said...

Sorry about the situation with your blog’s comment section.

As a reader, it feels like someone let a lot of the air out of it. Pfffffttttt!

Best wishes.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

Damn! I will be sure to charge my phone and stay up-to-the-second with poll numbers as we Libertarians caucus here in Texas. Do not want to miss getting on the band-wagon.

Mr. O. Possum said...

I recently saw him speak. He is young, smooth, and poised. Telegenic. He also reminded me of a well-shaved young Nixon or Andy Griffith in "A Face in the Crowd." His speech was a masterpiece of pious platitudes and evasive palliatives. In short, he is trouble. Not to mention that he has little experience governing.

Remember when Trump said he looked like Alfred E. Neuman? He deflected that with great ease. Being able to deflect Trump's taunts and insults would be a key to Democratic victory in November. By contrast, Warren, the candidate who now seems most likely to take the nomination, will rise to Trump's bait.

Kevin said...

Even if he is the best candidate the D's have to offer, I just cannot imagine the general public voting for president a gay guy who's name begins with Butt. Crossing the barrier to electing an openly gay man is one thing, but the name just rubs your face in it, so to speak.

But what to I know, I didn't think the US would elect a man with the name Barack Hussein Obama only 7 years after Osama Bin Laden attacked it, and after Saddam Hussein was US enemy number one for over a decade. It would have been like electing in 1952 someone named Hideo Toho instead of Dwight Eisenhower. It's unthinkable really. WTH were people thinking?

gilbar said...

you DO hear/see Tom Steyer commericals on radio/tv... at EVERY commercial break

"I'm Tom Steyer. I've made Hundreds of Millions of Dollars through hedge funds;
and other parasitic means. I hate Donald Trump because he made HIS money providing people things they wanted. Vote for me, and i will dedicate my Presidency to impeaching Donald Trump. I KNOW, that doesn't make sense; but, i'm a hedge fund guy: I know nothing about making sense.
So, Vote for Me; Tom Steyer, so we can Impeach President Trump

The first 10 times you hear his Schick; it's confusing. But, after you've heard it Hundreds of times, you realize that it's SUPPOSED TO BE confusing. The question is: why?

Ken B said...

The Zuck thing is interesting. Just about the only thing Warren is right on is her hostility to big tech. Break them up!

Wince said...

I get endless amusement from Rush Limbaugh's locution the "Hawkeye Cauci".

Wince said...

...which make Buttigieg a cauci'd optimist?

traditionalguy said...

Buttguy is the Dem's default candidate. Warren is too wild. Bernie is an ancient Communist and Biden has become a non person.

rcocean said...

Not surprised that Harris has plummeted. To know her, is NOT To like her. She went from Sassy Black Senator to Internet Censor and Busing fanatic.

Charlie Eklund said...

@Nonapod:

Tom Harkin was a Dem US Senator from Iowa in 1992 so that is the Favorite Son Effect at play, as compared to Bill Clinton’s Favorite Sin Effect.

rcocean said...

What's great about Buttigig is he will the President and the First Lady at the same time. Its a two-fer! Its like Hillary - without Bill.

Seeing Red said...

Buttigig has a Zuckerberg problem.

mockturtle said...

Funny how different polls show vastly different results. Since I refuse to take part in polls [except for Althouse polls, of course] I don't take any of them seriously. I still think Tulsi would have the best chance of beating Trump but, though Trump managed to prevail over his Republican foes, it's unlikely the DNC would ever allow Gabbard's nomination.

Bill Peschel said...

According to Wiki, Harkin served as a United States Senator from Iowa from 1985 to 2015. Clinton's genius for bullshitting voters was as yet unrecognized.

Unknown said...

Wait until Buttigieg is accused of being an agent of influence for Albania...

Ficta said...

I assume Mayor Pete is doing well because he's not ancient Joe Biden and he's not obviously insane, but even he couldn't just come out (no not like that) and state that: "Of course, Tulsi Gabbard is not a Russian asset, don't be silly". There's been a lot of mirth in the comments here about crazy old drunk Hilary and her Russians under the bed, but the Dem base actually believes all this John Birch style nonsense.

Bay Area Guy said...

I get endless amusement from Rush Limbaugh's locution the "Hawkeye Cauci".

In '88, it was the Caucus of Dukakis

Birches said...

The Dems seem desperate.

Ingachuck'stoothlessARM said...

uneasy the head who wears the Dem Diadem du Jour

William said...

After Trump every billionaire looked in the mirror and thought why not me. After Obama every first time Congress person looked in the mirror and thought why not me. Now every mayor of every town and village in America is giving some thought to the election of 2024. However, you only get one chance to be a novelty act. By 2024 small town mayors as Presidential candidates will be old hat. I'm thinking RuPaul. Rupaul has poise before the camera, a proven record of success, and isn't it about time that cross-dressers of color are given a chance to sit in the Oval Office.

Birches said...

I mean, do they really think National Dem voters are super enthused with white technocrats?

narciso said...

it's all projection,


https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2019/10/the_seedy_history_of_joe_biden_and_russia.html

Amadeus 48 said...

Nothing says "POTUS" like the unsuccessful mayor of a rather small American city, with a black population that is decidedly negative on the man. Now, THAT is a track record to contend with.

You go, Democrats!

Yancey Ward said...

Buttuvwxyz will probably do ok in Iowa since it is a caucus, and could easily get 1st or 2nd if he gets real momentum this Winter. His problem, though, is that after New Hampshire, he has literally zero chance of finishing 2nd anywhere other than, maybe, Vermont.

Martin said...

Funny, I don't recall any "strong performances" by Harris in the debates. She got off a quip or two, but overall has not impressed.

Bay Area Guy said...

"Funny, I don't recall any "strong performances" by Harris in the debates. She got off a quip or two, but overall has not impressed."

Yeah, Harris is really blowing her chances.

DavidUW said...

ButtLGBTQ will not get the black vote and therefore, might do well in Iowa and NH, but will fail miserably in the South's primaries. The South is also what will keep it close between Warren and Biden. But then California will vote and send Warren over the top, as our progressive, tolerant, inclusive politics also has the effect of driving black people out of the state (weird how Marin county is the whitest county and SF has seen half its black population leave...it's almost as if lily white progressives don't actually practice what they preach).

Lazarus said...

Is it really okay to say "up for grabs" in the #MeToo era?

mikee said...

I, for one, hope Iowans write in Michelle Obama. I'd love to see her run. The 49 state victory of Reagan would be repeated by Trump.