No real surprises...Well, not many, at least

The first test is behind us and I didn't see any real surprises, at least from my viewpoint.  I might be a wee surprised at the closeness, just five votes, between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders on the Democratic side.  Hillary is claiming total victory; Bernie is calling it a tie. 

I expected a Clinton win, but was just a little surprised at the closeness.  One thing is for sure, there won't be a recount.  The votes are taken as caucus attendees make their decisions and then physically move to a designated place in the room.  The bodies are then counted and the total becomes the vote.  Once the attendees have left, there isn't any place for a recount.

I'm not sure I expected the win by Ted Cruz over Donald Trump and the late surge by Marco Rubio for third place was just a mild attention getter.  Cruz's actual win wasn't so much of a surprise as was the vote spread between him and Trump.  It wasn't huge, but it was more than I think I anticipated.

The surprise to me is only one Republican dropped out as a result of Iowa.  The others, including Jeb Bush and other candidates, fell even further behind with less than five percent each of the vote.  The Republican race continues, only even more so, a three-way affair between Cruz, Trump, and Rubio.  Edited:  A second and third candidate dropped out Wednesday.

Considering Trump's campaign strategy record, it'll be interesting to see where it takes us now.

But, more "Now," it's on to our neighbor New Hampshire for next Tuesday's selections.  This will be a busy, noisy week both here in Maine and in New Hampshire.  And it's all to pile up delegates for the national conventions this summer where the real nominees for the presidency will be determined.  Tuesday will be a primary with actual voting whereas last Monday was a caucus where actual people were counted.

Imagine...the bottom line of all this hype and spent money is to select delegates to the conventions which is the only real impact, the important one, of whom the nominees will eventually be.

I love talking about this weather.  Wasn't yesterday just a grand day?  We didn't hit that record, but my deck temperature came very close.  I guess the official one did, too, missing by only four degrees.  Right now at 8:45 this Tuesday morning, my deck tells me it's 43 out there, but the telly says it's still in the 30s officially.  Nevertheless, it looks gorgeous out there.

Unfortunately, this might be the end for this winter as some wintery stuff might be heading toward Maine.

Edited again:  And here it is Saturday morning and that wintery stuff did smack us yesterday.  Nevertheless, I must admit it's even more gorgeous out there today, albeit a different kind of wonder.  And, Tom at WCSH6 says, we're in for snowy weather virtually every day next week.

Dave