New Hampshire Democrats blast party over Iowa caucus debacle

KEENE, N.H. — The Iowa caucus catastrophe is a “dumpster fire” that Granite State Democrats blasted, but some admitted it gives Tuesday’s first-in-the-nation primary even more clout.

“New Hampshire is now most important,” said Arthur Simington of Keene.

Democrat Paula Garvey of Amherst, N.H., wondered, “Is this the last caucus ever?”

“It’s a dumpster fire,” added Ryan Reed, a Keene Democrat. “It’s so frustrating and (President) Trump is already capitalizing on it. I just can’t understand why the DNC can’t get things right.”

Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses were thrown into disarray Monday after issues with a mobile app prevented precincts from reporting their results, leaving Democratic presidential hopefuls awaiting answers well into Tuesday afternoon.

New Hampshire voters at events for U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders were vocal in their dissatisfaction for the Democratic Party.

“They couldn’t have worked out the bugs ahead of time?” said Democrat Frank Brownell of Keene. “It’s just a sad, sad state of affairs that the Democratic Party has run such a shoddy operation.”

Democrat Barbara Adams of Mount Vernon, N.H., said not fully testing the software, made by for-profit firm Shadow, was a “huge mistake. It leaves a big, black eye on Iowa.”

Some questioned the caucus system — already a flashpoint among voters and party elites even before Monday’s breakdown.

“It’s too random and involves too small a portion of the population,” Simington added.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/2UlwYPg