I don’t see how this changes the basic calculus in the Republican primaries, but it’s interesting nonetheless. Multiple Choice Mitt continues to run around claiming he’s the first non-incumbent Republican to win both Iowa and New Hampshire. But he isn’t, via Reuters:
The Iowa Republican Party will certify this month’s presidential caucuses as a split decision between former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, citing missing data from eight precincts, the Des Moines Register reported on Thursday.
The party had previously awarded the contest to Romney, with an eight vote margin. The official certified caucus results are due out Thursday at 8:15 a.m. local time (1415 GMT).
The Register said the new count put Santorum ahead by 34 votes. However, results from any one of the eight precincts with “missing data” could hold an advantage for Romney, the Register reported.
“It’s a split decision,” the newspaper said, citing a party official in the state. There are too many holes in the certified total from the caucuses to know for certain who won, it said.
I understand that there’s some missing data. There always is in elections. But I don’t understand why the Iowa Republican Party was more than willing to award the contest to the Mittster when he was ahead by eight votes, but they’re now unwilling to provide the same courtesy to Santorum when he’s ahead by 34. Can someone help me out?
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