Last night the Iowa Caucus (https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_caucus) results came in to show presidential candidate Hilary Clinton beating Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders by just a 0.3% margin. On the Republican side U.S. State senator Ted Cruz beat out Donald Trump 27.6% to 24.3%.
The Iowa Caucus is the first major electoral event of the nominating process for the President of the United States. In the last forty years the outcome of this event has a 43% success rate at predicting which Democratic candidate will be selected at their national convention-and a 50% success rate for Republicans seeking their party's nomination.
Clinton was relieved to have won the critical state after coming in third place in the 2008 election. "I have won and I have lost [in Iowa], it is a lot better to win," she said.
Yet Sanders is right behind her, having gained substantial ground over the last three months of campaigning. "I think the people of Iowa have sent a very profound message to the political establishment. to the economic establishment, and, by the way, to the media establishment," he said to the crowd.
Ted Cruz's consistent conservative values won over Evangelical Christian voters against Trump's reality TV fame and personal wealth.
"Tonight is a victory for the grass roots. Tonight is a victory for courageous conservatives all across Iowa and our great nation," said Cruz.
Meanwhile, Trump was subdued after his loss, though he insisted that victory was in his future.
"We will go on to get the Republican nomination, and we will go on to easily beat Hillary or Bernie or whoever the hell they throw out there," Trump told the crowd.
Trump's other advantage-being seen as outside of Washington politics-wasn't enough to get him the win. Florida Senator Marco Rubio came in at a close third behind Cruz and Trump, with 23.1% of the Republican vote.
Up next is another decisive state: New Hampshire, where the candidates are already campaigning in anticipation for for the state primary on February 9th.