Local political expert weighs in on Buttigieg’s performance in New Hampshire primary

SOUTH BEND, Ind.—Local political expert Jack Colwell was live in ABC57’s studio on Wednesday morning to weigh in on former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s performance in the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders claimed victory on Tuesday night with 25.9% of the vote.

“It was very close. It was too close for Bernie Sanders to claim a monumental victory because he was expected to win really big in New Hampshire and he only got about a quarter of the vote,” Colwell said.

Buttigieg followed closely behind Sanders, earning 24.5% of the vote. Both Sanders and Buttigieg received nine delegates in New Hampshire.

The next primary and caucus will take place in South Carolina and Nevada and Colwell said that those states will be critical for Buttigieg’s presidential bid.

“Pete’s going to have a very tough time in those two states. He has the most delegates right now. In a way, you can say he is the front runner,” Colwell said. “He still has to find a way to get minority votes.”

Senator Amy Klobuchar finished in third place on Tuesday night, earning 19.8% of votes in the Granite State.

“I think it was the debate performance by her, afterwards almost everybody, including me, thought that she had won the debate. I guess the voters in New Hampshire thought that too,” Colwell said.

Senator Elizabeth Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden finished fourth and fifth respectively, but neither earned any delegates from New Hampshire.

Colwell said Biden has to win big in the coming primaries in order to continue.

“He has to win in South Carolina. A flat out win. If he doesn’t win in South Carolina, I think there’s not a road for him to continue,” Colwell said. “Nevada, a smaller number of delegates, he might not win it but he has to come close.”

Nevada’s Democratic caucuses will take place on February 22 and South Carolina’s Democratic primary will take place on February 29.