DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Pete Buttigieg held a slight lead over Bernie Sanders in the opening contest of the Democratic race for the presidential nomination, according to partial results released by the Iowa Democratic Party.
The results that came out late Tuesday followed 24 hours of caucus chaos. Technical problems marred the complicated process, forcing state officials to apologize and raising questions about Iowa’s traditional place atop the presidential primary calendar.
It was too early to call a winner based on the initial results from Monday’s caucuses, but Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar were trailing in the tally of State Delegate Equivalents, according to the data released nearly a day after voting concluded.
The results reflected 71% of precincts in the state.
The two early leaders – Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Vermont Sen, Sanders – were separated by 40 years in age, conflicting ideology and more.