CLEVELAND — Traditionally the Iowa Caucus doesn't tell us who will be the nominee of a particular party but it often is a strong indicator of who it will not be, it winnows the field. That didn't happen this year creating a lot of options now for New Hampshire voters and beyond.
"We always say that Iowa indicates what's ahead in this race, maybe it is," said ABC News Political Analyst Matthew Dowd. "Maybe what's ahead in this race is we're not going to know the answer to who the Democratic nominee is going to be for a lengthy period."
"We already had higher odds that we would go to the convention without somebody winning a majority of the delegates with what just happened in Iowa," said Dowd of the problems that have delayed release of the full results. "With no firm conclusion on that until 24, 36, 48 hours out it increases the odds of no nominee."
That would mean a contested convention but long before that a contested Ohio Primary on March 17 likely among four or five candidates said News 5 Political Analyst Dr. Tom Sutton of Baldwin Wallace University. A primary that could be a measuring stick for how the rest of the primary process could play out.
"Ohio's a split state so how do the moderates do vs. the Sanders' Progressives," said Sutton. "Sanders did ok in 2016 but Hillary Clinton took the state pretty easily. How will that play out? Now and again how they do in each of these earlier contests particularly Super Tuesday I think will have a big impact on what's happening with Ohio."
That's why all eyes will be on this Friday night's Democratic debate on ABC from Manchester, the first in months free from the shadow of impeachment.
"I think Friday night actually becomes even more important," Dowd said. "That becomes even more important than what happened in Iowa Monday."
Sutton added, "this debate will re-frame people's perceptions of these candidates going into these contests."
Early voting in Ohio begins in two weeks on February 19.
