Saturday, January 7, 2012

Iowa caucus results in question after affidavit filed

WQAD

DAVENPORT— Just eight votes separated Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in the Iowa caucuses Tuesday night but now three days later, some are questioning the outcome after a possible mix-up of votes in one county.

There's never been a caucus as exciting as Tuesday's. A back and forth match that didn't end until the wee hours of Wednesday morning with only an eight vote separation between Romney and Santorum.

"It didn't surprise me. Up until the final day we considered 45% were still undecided going into the polls," said Vice-Chairman of the Scott county Republicans, John Ortega.

An affidavit filed Thursday by Edward True of Moulton, Iowa suggests the caucus he attended game Romney 20 more votes than he actually received.

If True's claim is indeed true, it would give Santorum a 12 vote win.

"They said they were not going to have a recount so officially I think the results cast will stand. I don't think they'll change it," said Ortega.

Ortega says he considers even a 12 vote difference a virtual tie while Santorum himself considers even the eight vote defeat a win.

"When I think Governor Romney spent I think in the area of $2 million on TV and we spent $30,000 on TV, eight votes is a pretty big win as far as I'm concerned," said Rick Santorum.

Counties have two weeks to get their certified results to the state party but Iowa G-O-P chairman Matt Strawn says there's no reason to believe the potential miscalculation would change the outcome saying, "Out of respect to the candidates involved, party officials will not respond to every rumor, innuendo or allegation during the two week process."

Strawn has said a recount is unnecessary because the caucus results are accurate.


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