Sanders claims clear margin of victory with ‘6,000 more votes’

‘That screwup has been extremely unfair to the people of Iowa’

BERNIE SANDERS claimed a belated victory for Monday’s state caucus amid calls for a recount as the row over the vote continued to divide the party.

Mr Sanders, the progressive frontrunner, called the delay of results a “screw-up” by his own party as he addressed supporters in New Hampshire, ahead of the next primary.

Monday’s Iowa caucuses, the first votes cast in the race to find the Democratic presidential nominee, were marred by technical problems and inconsistencies which saw the official re- sult delayed by more than two days.

By yesterday afternoon 97 per cent of the results had been released, showing Mr Sanders and moderate candidate Pete Buttigieg virtually neck and neck.

However, Mr Sanders insisted he had the clearest margin of victory in the popular vote, which he said put him 6,000 votes ahead of his rivals.

Campaigning in Manchester, New Hampshire, the 78-year-old criticised the Iowa Democratic Party for its delay in counting votes. “That screw-up has been extremely unfair to the people of Iowa, to all the candidates and all of their supporters,” he said.

“What I want to do today, three days late, is to thank the people of Iowa for the very strong victory they gave us at the Iowa caucuses on Monday night.”

Mr Sanders also took a swipe at Mr Buttigieg, who similarly claimed victory earlier in the week, saying: “From where I come, when you get 6,000 more votes you’re strongly regarded to be the winner.”

Focus has now shifted to New Hampshire, which holds its Democratic primary on Tuesday.