Gore rolls up delegate totals in Minnesota and Nevada

By Associated Press, 03/08/00

A smaller-than-expected turnout of about 11,000 people at the first Democratic weekend caucuses in Minnesota gave Vice President Al Gore a near sweep as anticipated in a binding presidential poll.

MINNESOTA RESULTS
Democrats
114 of 126 of precincts reporting
Gore 74%
Bradley 14%
Percentages will not necessarily add to 100.

NEVADA RESULTS
Democrats
14 or 17 counties reporting
Gore 92%
Bradley 8%
Percentages will not necessarily add to 100.

WHAT'S NEXT
On Tuesday, March 14, six southern and midwestern states, Florida, Louisana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas, hold both Democratic and Republican primaries. [ Full schedule ]

   

Gore also was expected to pick up all 20 delegates at stake after a resounding victory Sunday at caucuses in Nevada where there were even fewer voters.

With 14 of 17 counties reporting in Nevada, Gore had 92 percent of the vote to 8 percent for Bill Bradley and others. Although no official delegate assignments were made by the party, state chairman Rory Reid noted that Bradley would have had to get at least 15 percent of the votes cast in either of Nevada's two congressional districts to win any delegates. He said there was no hope of him reaching that threshold.

More than 1,000 Democrats voted Sunday in Nevada, up from about 600 four years ago, Reid said.

In Minnesota, DFL party spokeswoman Karen Louise Boothe blamed the low turnout for the Saturday and Sunday caucuses there on a switch from holding the meetings on Tuesdays and on Bill Bradley dropping out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Still, the former New Jersey senator could pick up a couple of delegates, Boothe said. "Right now, he has the possibility of gaining a couple of delegates in a couple of districts," she said.

Results were still out Sunday night for the binding presidential poll in a couple of state senate districts. Boothe said state party officials wouldn't know the results until Monday at the earliest. "I think it's safe to say it's a near sweep for Gore," Boothe said.

With 114 of 126 precincts reporting, Gore received 74 percent of the votes to 14 percent for Bradley.

Minnesota has 91 Democratic delegates up for grabs, and most were to be assigned during the weekend caucuses. The binding poll, however, is not a winner-take-all contest so delegates will be distributed in proportion to votes received. Unless Bradley pulls at least 15 percent in a district, he is ineligible for delegates. He had yet to reach that threshold in incomplete returns.

The DFL switched the meetings from Tuesday nights in hopes of increasing turnout. Party officials had estimated turnout would be 15,000 people, down from the 17,000 who participated in 1996 and 1998 caucuses.