DES MOINES, Iowa -- A Drake University Political Scientist says a delay in reporting Iowa Caucus results will make it harder for Democrats to sell the idea of keeping the first-in-the-nation event.
"It's always a bit of an uphill battle every four years because the rest of the country doesn't like the commanding role Iowa takes. The foul-up for the Democrats reporting system, the delay in obtaining the results, simply makes that incline a lot steeper" says Prof. Dennis Goldford.
He also says the delay will probably blunt any positive carry-over candidates hoped to take into Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.
"Having missed that opportunity to announce those results Caucus night, basically the caravan has moved on to New Hampshire. The attention people pay to those results will be diminished somewhat" Goldford says.
He says the February caucuses and primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina represent just under four percent of national convention delegates, while the Super Tuesday states on March 3rd represent about 34 percent of delegates.