Tag Archives: Iowa Straw Poll

Sanders’ big win! DFA endorsement poll

The results of the Democracy for America presidential primary endorsement poll were tallied Thursday and Bernie won BIG. Sanders won a “record breaking” 87.9% of the vote and earned Democracy for America’s endorsement for the 2016 Democratic presidential primary. DFA reported there were 271,527 total votes cast.

The break-down was as follows: Sanders 87.9 %, Hillary Clinton 10.3%, and Martin O’Malley 1.1% and “don’t endorse” came in at a paltry 0.8%.

DFA3

The win on Thursday coincided with a Sanders fund raising effort that topped 2 million individuals and garnered an endorsement by the 700,000 member Communication Workers of America. Sanders’ top strategist Tad Devine said: “Today is an indication that there are a lot of people in the left wing of the Democratic Party that think we are doing the right things to win, to achieve the agenda they’re committed to. Last night, when we went over 2 million people, it was an indication that we are ready, and able, to truly fund a real, national race,” Devine was understandably happy for the good news and momentum before Saturday’s televised candidate debate.

Seen in light of recent reports on Sanders’ skimpy media coverage, how does the DFA turnout of 275,000 voters compare to Republican presidential primary polling events? One early and heavily covered event is the Iowa Republican Straw Poll for presidential primary candidates. The Iowa Republican’s poll had just 16,892 voters in 2011, the last year it was held. The contest generated weeks of headlines and buzz for the GOP winner, yet at its height in 1999 it had barely 24,000 participants. So in a perfect media world, Sanders’ DFA win should generate at least a comparable amount of coverage to 24,000 Iowa Republicans.

But everybody knows that’s not going to happen, so it better be back to the phones – twitterverse – facebook – etc., etc – for Bernie’s campaign.