Disclaimer: Daily photographer and social media executive editor Evan Sayles caucused for Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in the process of photographing candidates for the Daily. The Daily Editorial Board's choice of photos to publish did not receive any input from Sayles.
After a year of campaigning, Americans gathered to watch as first-in-nation Iowans gathered in high school auditoriums, churches, town halls and other locations across the Hawkeye State to caucus. The Daily was on location watching candidates stump for final votes as the 2016 campaign for President kicked off in earnest.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) won the GOP Caucus in a surprising turnaround for a race that has been dominated by demagogic businessman Donald Trump. At press time, with 99 percent of counties reporting, Cruz led with 28 percent, followed by Trump with 24 percent and Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) with 23 percent, according to CNN News.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (D), who lost Iowa eight years before to then-Senator Barack Obama, was at press time statistically tied with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt), 50.2 percent to 49.3 percent with 94 percent of counties reporting. Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley (D) suspended his campaign for president after receiving only 0.5 percent of the vote.
At press time, 12 students from Tufts are headed to New Hampshire to attend a rally for Sanders, as the senator leaves Iowa in his tracks to continue campaigning in the Granite State.
Businesswoman and former Hewlett-Packard executive Carly Fiorina received one percent of the vote, while former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA) received one percent, according to numbers from CNN. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie received two percent, while former Louisiana Governor Mike Huckabee suspended his campaign after only receiving two percent of the vote as well.
Looking to New Hampshire, the three leading Republican candidates and the two deadlocked Democratic candidates will hope for momentum before their campaigns leave the two opening primary states for Nevada and South Carolina, then eventually the 14-state contest on Super Tuesday.
The photos may be seen on the Tufts Daily Photo's blog at http://picturetufts.tuftsdaily.com/2016/02/02/iowa-caucus-2016/.
The Race is On: Iowa 2016
On the night before the Iowa caucus, Democratic presidential candidate SEN. BERNIE SANDERS gives a rally at Grand View University's Sisam Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.
