The 2020 Iowa caucuses

By Meg Wagner, Amanda Wills, Veronica Rocha and Mike Hayes, CNN

Updated 12:14 a.m. ET, February 5, 2020
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8:45 a.m. ET, February 4, 2020

Trump campaign: Iowa Democratic "caucus mess" is "the sloppiest train wreck in history"

Brad Parscale is President Trump's 2020 campaign manager.
Brad Parscale is President Trump's 2020 campaign manager. Tom Brenner/Getty Images

Trump's 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale said the delay in reporting results in Iowa is "the sloppiest train wreck in history."

He criticized Democrats' handling of the reporting process.

"And these are the people who want to run our entire health care system?" Parscale asked.

Here's his full statement:

“Democrats are stewing in a caucus mess of their own creation with the sloppiest train wreck in history. It would be natural for people to doubt the fairness of the process. And these are the people who want to run our entire health care system? Tonight President Trump posted a record performance in the well-run GOP Iowa caucuses with record turnout for an incumbent.”
11:52 p.m. ET, February 3, 2020

Call with Iowa Democrats was "short and uninformative," say campaign sources

From CNN's Dana Bash, Dan Merica and Jasmine Wright

Campaign sources tell CNN that that the call between campaigns and the Iowa Democratic Party was "short and uninformative."

The party hung up quickly to avoid taking questions, the sources said. The party said they were counting votes manually — but provided no details about what that meant. 

12:00 a.m. ET, February 4, 2020

Sanders says he has a "good feeling" despite results delay

Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Sen. Bernie Sanders just took the stage in Des Moines with his wife, Jane, two grandchildren, his son and his daughter-in-law.

He addressed the delay in results at the top of his speech.

"Let me begin by stating that I imagine — have a strong feeling that at some point the results will be announced," Sanders told the crowd. "And when those results are announced I have a good feeling we're going to be doing very, very well here in Iowa."

He added:

"Tonight in this enormously consequential 2020 election, the first state in the country has voted. And today, today marks the beginning of the end for Donald Trump."

Watch here:

11:56 p.m. ET, February 3, 2020

Elizabeth Warren: "We don't back down"

From CNN's Daniella Diaz

Andrew Harnik/AP
Andrew Harnik/AP

Sen. Elizabeth Warren addressed supporters, as results over the Iowa caucuses were delayed.

She acknowledged there were no results so far.

“It is too close to call, so I’m just going to tell you what I do know," she told the crowd.

“We don’t back down," she said. "We meet big problems with even bigger solutions. I’m here tonight because I believe that big dreams are still possible.”

Other candidates also delivered speeches on Monday night, in the face of the results delay.

Watch Warren's speech:

11:40 p.m. ET, February 3, 2020

Biden: Iowa Democratic Party must be "careful in their deliberations" during delay

Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Former Vice President Joe Biden said the Iowa Democrats are working to get the caucus results straight as he addressed supporters tonight.

The party has not yet reported any caucus results.

"Well, the Iowa Democratic Party is working to get this result — get 'em straight," he told supporters in Des Moines.

"And I want to make sure they're very careful in their deliberations," Biden added. "And indications are — our indication it's going to be close. We're going to walk out of here with our share of delegates."

Watch here:

11:37 p.m. ET, February 3, 2020

Iowa Democrats say there are "inconsistencies in the reporting" of results

Tom Brenner/Getty Images
Tom Brenner/Getty Images

Iowa Democratic Party Communications Director Mandy McClure said the party found "inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results."

Here's the full statement:

We found inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results. In addition to the tech systems being used to tabulate results, we are also using photos of results and a paper trail to validate that all results match and ensure that we have confidence and accuracy in the numbers we report. This is simply a reporting issue. The app did not go down and this is not a hack or an intrusion. The underlying data and paper trail is sound and will simply take time to further report the results. 

About the three numbers: Iowa Democrats are releasing more information about caucus results than usual this year. There are three sets of numbers we're expecting:

  • State delegates won: Each precinct sends delegates to county conventions, who then send delegates to the state convention. The "state delegate equivalents" — the number that'll be the focus tonight — are the estimated number of delegates candidates have won to the state convention based on their results in each precinct.
  • The first alignment: The state Democratic Party will release the total number of people at each precinct that lined up with each candidate at the start of the caucuses.
  • The second alignment: Then, after realignment — the process where those who fall short of 15% are eliminated, with their supporters either choosing a different candidate to back or going home — the state party will release those raw vote totals as well.

CNN's David Chalian explains:

11:28 p.m. ET, February 3, 2020

Sanders and Biden campaigns invited to call with Iowa Democratic Party

From CNN's Ryan Nobles and Arlette Saenz

Bernie Sanders' campaign tells CNN they have now been invited to a phone call with the Iowa Democratic Party.

One senior adviser for Joe Biden said the party will also meet with their campaign via phone call. The campaign’s senior adviser in the state, Jesse Harris, and others from the campaign will be on the call. The call is set to begin shortly.

8:46 a.m. ET, February 4, 2020

Amy Klobuchar is making a speech even though we don't have results yet

Nati Harnik/AP
Nati Harnik/AP

Sen. Amy Klobuchar is addressing a room full of supporters — and acknowledging that they don't yet have results from the Iowa Democratic party.

"You probably heard we don't know the results. But I did not want to let another minute go by without thanking all of you," she told the crowd. "We know there's delays but we know one thing: We are punching above our weight."

She thanked her supporters as she criticized President Trump.

"We know, in our hearts, that in a democracy, it is not about the loudest voice or the biggest bank account. It is about the best idea. And it is about the person that can turn those ideas into action," Klobuchar said.

Watch Klobuchar's speech:

11:21 p.m. ET, February 3, 2020

Iowa Democratic party source: "No indication this is a hack"

From CNN's Dan Merica

As the results from the Iowa caucuses continue to be delayed on Monday night, an Iowa Democratic Party source told CNN that there was "no indication this is a hack."

The source offered no other explanation for the delay.

The delay has created questions among the presidential campaigns, with one representative telling CNN's Jeff Zeleny, "It's clear something has gone wrong."