Bush, Gore Win Big...

January 24, 2000, 11:15pm EST-- Al Gore and George W. Bush both capitalized on months of organizing and fundraising by decisively winning the first test for the presidential nomination.

Within a half hour of the caucuses beginning throughout the state, the major television news networks were projecting the vice president and Texas governor as winners.

 

Democrats 94.6% of Precincts Reporting			Republicans 94% of Precincts Reporting
Gore	63.4%		Bush	41.1%
			Forbes	30.3%
Bradley	35%		Keyes	14.3%
			Bauer	8.5%
Uncommitted	2%		McCain	4.7%
			Hatch	1%

On the GOP side, Bush turned aside efforts by publisher Steve Forbes and a surprisingly strong Alan Keyes.

Bush's key opponent was Forbes, who spent millions of his own money and years organizing his campaign in Iowa. Forbes was projected to garner 30 percent of the caucus delegates. Keyes, a fiery speaker and former ambassador, was the only other candidate in double digits with 12 percent.

Bush claimed the vote was a resounding endorsement of his campaign.

"We've had a record-shattering victory and I've never dreamt I'd be able to get such a high vote," Bush told the Associated Press as early results from the caucuses were reported on television.

Far back in the pack, Senator John McCain, who leads in New Hampshire polls and decided not to campaign in Iowa, came in fifth, trailing behind conservative activist Gary Bauer.

On the Democratic side, Gore handily defeated his rival, former New Jersey Senator Bill Bradley. Bradley, who had surged in New Hampshire polls, faded in the week leading up to the caucus.

Bradley did reach his own goal of 31 percent -- the amount of support Senator Edward Kennedy got in a second place finish in Iowa in 1980.

"Tonight I view not as an end, but as a beginning of the debate," Bradley said in an interview with NBC News. "I knew from the beginning I was up against entrenched power ... but we have done very well given where we started."