As primary race tightens, Democrats brace for a messy winter

Bernie Sanders of Vermont and failing to undercut his archliberal message before it grew into a political movement that has put him within striking distance of beating Hillary Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire.

In 2007, presidential candidate Barack Obama chats with Stacey Snyder, 21, in Ames, Iowa.

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Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley announced his bid in Baltimore.

“I’m pleased that this legislation is being introduced”, Sanders said in the statement.

Clinton and her surrogates are attacking her rival for not having the smarts and know-how to effect effective change. Barack Obama came from behind to defeat Clinton, who was heavily favored to win at the outset of the race. They appeared together at a Des Moines high school Saturday night before at least 500 people, encouraging people to caucus. Recent polls show that her once-formidable lead over Sanders in Iowa has all but vanished, while he is holding on to a slight lead over her in New Hampshire.

“Going after Bernie for trying to get rid of the Affordable Care Act is evidence that they’re a little anxious”, said Amanda Loveday, a former S.C. Democratic Party official who says she’s undecided in the presidential primary. South Carolina, fourth in line with its primary contest, is seen as a possible firewall for the Clinton campaign because of its strength among minority voters, who make up a sizable portion of the electorate in the state. “She’s performed solidly enough, but it’s been a hard race”.

Any Clinton supporters looking for a reason to panic should consider the way the campaign attacked Sanders on health care this week.

It could be a contentious round, with the latest polls showing Sanders only a few points behind Hillary Clinton. Although Clinton’s campaign has raised more dollars, Sanders’ grassroots approach is working.

Clinton’s campaign team and her allies have grown increasingly concerned with the surprising grassroots challenge posed by Sanders.

“They’re very afraid of a repeat in 2008 and they’re getting very aggressive”, said Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver.

“It has to do with what things ought to be done and when they ought to be done”, Clyburn said, declining to provide details.

The Iowa Democratic Caucus is going down to the wire as Vermont Sen.

Clinton accused Trump of sexism, he hit back with “Bill Clinton is one of the world’s great abusers”, Hillary Clinton’s double digit leads over Sanders have all but disappeared and the ghosts from the 1990s are back to haunt her – a scandal churner that nearly destroyed Bill Clinton’s presidency. Will Sen. Bernie Sanders be able to stand his ground and improve his rating further, or Ms Clinton will be able to browbeat him in the course of the debate. “It also would have given her the kind of fight in which she thrives”.

This year, many who made up the vaunted Obama coalition, a key target for both Clinton and Sanders, remain undecided as they struggle to get fully comfortable with backing either candidate.

In this photo taken January 12, 2016, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks in Ames, Iowa.

Clinton has been out ahead of Sanders in courting black voters, touting this week an endorsement from Obama’s former attorney general, Eric Holder, who said that Clinton is the best candidate to build on Obama’s legacy.

“People should not underestimate me”, Sanders said at the time to the AP.

“It’s about six months of communication versus 20 years”, said Marcus Ferrell, who is Sanders’ African-American Outreach Director, comparing Sanders to Clinton.

State polls should make Clinton even more nervous.

“I’m really supportive of Bernie’s ideas”, Harris said. “But it’s a real race”.

Furthermore, creating even more echoes from 2008, Sanders has raised more individual contributions to his campaign than anyone in history.