Guest AuthorThe Iowa caucuses are now in the books and the candidates have moved on to the next battlefield, New Hampshire.
But there are some nagging questions about dirty dealings in Iowa. As we all know, the caucuses are conducted differently than regular voting.
There are rumors that voter identification was not checked, allowing anyone to attend any of the caucuses and vote.
However, Breitbart reported what seems to be an odd coincidence. Six Democratic precincts were deadlocked, causing officials to toss a coin to break the tie.
In all six coin-tosses, Hillary Clinton remarkably won. The odds of doing so are 64-to-1. The Des Moines Register noted that one coin toss, coming from a precinct in Ames, was conducted even when “60 caucus participants apparently disappeared from the proceedings.”
Another report claims Sen. Bernie Sanders accused Mrs. Clinton of using a paid out-of-state staffer as a precinct captain, very much a no-no in Iowa.
Politico reported that Ben Carson took issue with Ted Cruz, claiming campaigners were spreading falsehoods that Carson had suspended his campaign just prior to the caucuses. Even Rep. Steve King, a Cruz supporter, was caught tweeting, “Carson looks like he is out. Iowans need to know before they vote. Most will go to Cruz, I hope.”
Carson is understandably upset and is demanding Cruz fire anyone in his campaign who is guilty of the offense.
Finally, a photo surfaced showing precinct captains counting votes from the Dallas County GOP caucus at a brewpub. It wasn’t very flattering and didn’t suggest a professional image in counting votes.
So, here we are at the dawn of a new primary season and learning of sloppy electoral practices and questionable campaigning tactics. One can only wonder what is next. Will we be returning to graveyard precincts?
Let’s hope the other primary states and campaigners clean up their act before New Hampshire.
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Tim Bryce is an independent writer in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. timbryce.com Column courtesy of Context Florida.
