One 2020 Democrat Is Taking a Victory Lap... Even Though the Iowa Results Aren't In

Things are strange in Iowa. We've waited hours for the results of the Iowa Caucuses but still, nothing. The Iowa Democratic Party is doing a "quality control" check on the results just as a precaution. Part of the issue is the state party is relying on a newly-developed app to transmit results, despite security concerns. Their backup plan was to have precincts – all 1,679 of them – call in their results, which was the old way of doing things. And guess where we're at? You got it. They're calling them in. One. By. One.

Even though have absolutely zero confirmed results, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg is taking a victory lap. Apparently no reported results somehow means he came out victorious.

"What a night, because tonight an improbable hope became an undeniable reality," Buttigieg told supporters. "So, we don't know all the results but we know by the time it's all said and done, Iowa you have shocked the nation because, by all indications, we are going onto New Hampshire victorious!"

Pete Buttigieg speaks amid the delay in Iowa: "We don't know all the results. But we know by the time it's all said and done, Iowa, you have shocked the nation." #cnnelection https://t.co/TGvpHlC55k pic.twitter.com/ww4szTkHii
— CNN (@CNN) February 4, 2020

Apparently "all indications" means their internal polling (and we all know how skewed those can be.)

Pete Buttigieg campaign source sent out their internal numbers. They say 77% of their precinct captains have reported and they are confident: “Pete is going to New Hampshire victorious.” pic.twitter.com/tNxjyh1ogQ
— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) February 4, 2020

Buttigieg and his team feel so confident in their polling that they're already fundraising off the "results."

Pete Buttigieg managed to spike the most important poll which showed him in third the day before the caucus. He seems to have some ties to the company that developed the App that is supposed to count the vote totals. He is now declaring victory before ANY results are reported.
— Nando (@nandorvila) February 4, 2020

Not great optics here, folks:

- Dems paid company literally called Shadow to create caucus app
- Buttigieg campaign also paid Shadow, FEC records show
- Caucus app fails
- Buttigieg declares himself Iowa winner with no results
— Walker Bragman (@WalkerBragman) February 4, 2020

I want to clarify this tweet: I am NOT suggesting impropriety. In fact, my money's on human error and incompetence.

But if I were the Buttigieg campaign, I would have waited for the results.
— Walker Bragman (@WalkerBragman) February 4, 2020

Three different sources say a firm called "Shadow" developed the Iowa Dem caucus app. They haven't responded to comment, neither has Iowa Dem Party. The firm was paid by both Nevada & Iowa Democratic Party, disclosures show. Also by Mayor Pete's campaign.
— Lee Fang (@lhfang) February 4, 2020

And one progressive activist said what the rest of us are thinking:

Pete Buttigieg is claiming victory with literally 0% of the vote in, trying to fix the Iowa Caucus like it was bread prices.
— Adam Best (@adamcbest) February 4, 2020

Things are bound to take an interesting turn once the official results are released. Let's see if Buttigieg's internal polling is as accurate as he lets on.