FORT DODGE, Iowa (AP) – Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders sought to chip away at one of rival Hillary Clinton’s chief arguments against him Tuesday, saying that the enthusiasm surrounding his White House bid puts him in the strongest position to increase voter turnout and defeat a Republican in the November election.
Opening a four-stop swing through Iowa, Sanders also predicted a “very close” race with Clinton in the state’s lead-off caucus on Feb. 1.
“Today the inevitable candidate doesn’t look quite so inevitable as she did 8 1/2 months ago,” Sanders said during a town hall meeting on a frigid morning in Fort Dodge.
The Democratic race has become increasingly heated in recent days as Sanders challenges Clinton’s lead in Iowa. He also appears to have an edge over Clinton in New Hampshire, which votes second.
Seeking to blunt Sanders’ momentum, Clinton’s campaign is challenging the senator’s foreign policy credentials, particularly regarding Iran and the Islamic State group. The campaign released a statement Tuesday from 10 former diplomats and national security officials who said they were concerned Sanders “has not thought through these crucial national security issues that can have profound consequences.”