January 24, 2000 (2000-01-24) 2004 → 63.42% 34.88% | 1,269 698 | |
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In the United States, the 2000 Iowa Democratic caucuses (held January 24) were the first major test of the leading contenders for the Democratic Party's nomination as its candidate for the 2000 presidential election.
Contents
Candidates
Campaign
Vice President Al Gore was seen as the frontrunner for the nomination. Bill Bradley was seen as a non-threat. Al Gore campaigned in Des Moines, Iowa in May 1999. Bradley, knowing he was the outsider, campaigned tirelessly. Gore successfully painted Bradley as aloof and indifferent to the plight of farmers in rural America. The Vice President received the endorsement from the Governor of Iowa Tom Vilsack and Senator Tom Harkin and had a tremendous lead over Senator Bradley. But a devastating loss for the Gore camp was when Bradley got the endorsement of the Des Moines Register. Bradley started to gain momentum and the race become closer. A week before the caucus polls had it 40% to 49% in Gore’s favor. On January 23, 2000, a day before the primary polls had Al Gore winning by 2 or 3 points.
2000 results
Al Gore won 93 of Iowa's 99 counties. Gore even beat Bradley in the Des Moines area. This Caucus had low voter turnout. Bill Bradley lost the rest of the primaries by large margins and Al Gore would eventually lose the general election to Governor of Texas George W. Bush.