Buttigieg says Iowa ‘shocked the nation’ in caucus night speech

Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg said Iowa “had shocked the nation” in a caucus night address that sounded like a victory speech despite the lack of results in a nominating contest riddled with reporting inconsistencies. 

“So we don’t know all the results, but we know by the time it’s all said and done, Iowa, you have shocked the nation,” the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., said. “Because by all indications, we are going on to New Hampshire victorious.” 

The speech came amid confusion over the Democratic caucuses after the state party admitted there were inconsistencies in precincts’ tally reports. 

“We found inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results,” said state party spokeswoman Mandy McClure. “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.”

Buttigieg came on to give his speech after several other candidates had already offered their own version of what happened Monday night.

The Indiana Democrat, a top-tier moderate in the primary field, maintained that his centrist campaign was best suited to go the distance over a progressive campaign like those of Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

“We brought together an extraordinary coalition of Americans, progressives, moderates … and future former Republicans. And that’s how we’re going to win in November, because it’s about adding people to our cause, adding to our majority,” he said. 

“We have exactly one shot to defeat Donald Trump. We’re not going to do it by overreaching, we’re not going to do it by dividing, we’re not going to do it by saying ‘it’s my way or the highway,’ ” he said.

The winner of Iowa’s Democratic caucuses is not expected to be revealed until later Tuesday, raising the question of whether the chaos will blunt the impact of the nominating contest.