Clear Lakers help state to huge caucus turnout

(Above) Registration for the Feb. 1 Caucus at Clear Lake High School stretched outside the gymnasium lobby and extended all the way north to the Clear Lake Cemetery fence.-Reporter photo by Chris Barragy.

Clear Lakers joined scores of Iowans who made it a point to get to their Caucus Monday, Feb.1.  And like the rest of the state, local caucus results helped Texas Senator Ted Cruz to a four-point victory over Republican rival Donald Trump.  Likewise, vote totals were close between Democrats Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Those attending Republican caucuses within the city limits of Clear Lake filled the Clear Lake High School gymnasium, cafeteria, fitness room, and E.B.

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Stillman Auditorium.  Clear Creek Elementary housed the Democrat caucus.  Lines of voters spilled out of the gymnasium lobby and extended hundreds of feet north, past the high school entrance to the Clear Lake Cemetery.

Precinct voting results were not available, however Cerro Gordo County made Cruz the winner with 28 percent of the vote (655).  Trump was next with 26 percent (597), followed by Marco Rubio with 19 percent (446), Ben Carson with 8 percent (184) and Jeb Bush (119) and Chris Christie (114) each with 5 percent.  The remainder of the field included Rand Paul (3 percent, 78), Carly Fiorina (2 percent, 42), Mike Huckabee (2 percent 39), John Kasich (1 percent, 29), Rick Santorum (1 percent 18), Jim Gilmore (0 percent, 0).

Statewide, nearly 49,000 Iowa Republican Caucus-goers voted for Cruz.

On the Democratic side, Clinton received 1,091 votes in Cerro Gordo County and Sanders brought in 1,108, each translating to 50 percent.

Iowa’s results prompted three candidates to exit the race. Democrat Martin O’Malley and Republicans Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorium suspended their campaigns.

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