April 9, 2016 Wyoming County Caucuses

 Organization:  CLINTON  |  SANDERS                    

OVERVIEW
Jokes are made about the paucity of Democrats in Wyoming--there are approximately 42,000 registered Democrats in the state--but the campaigns competed actively for the 14 delegates at stake, including visits by Bernie Sanders and Bill Clinton.

Bill Clinton
April 4
-Organizing event with former President Bill Clinton at Kiwanis Community House in Cheyenne.
March 23 - Organizing event with former President Bill Clinton in Cheyenne.cancelled due to weather
Ken Salazar - former Interior Secretary and U.S. Senator from Colorado
April 6
-Stops in Cheyenne and Laramie.

Bernie Sanders
April 5
-A Future to Believe in Rally at University of Wyoming, Arts & Sciences Auditorium in Laramie.
March 23 - A Future to Believe in Town Hall at Parkway Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Casper  | A Future to Believe in Town Hall at Laramie Community Ice & Events Center in Laramie postponed due to weather
Jane Sanders
April 4
-Meeting with Northern Arapho Business Council members in Fremont County.
-Meet and greet at Lander Bake Shop in Lander.
-Town hall with Jim Hightower at Wolcott Galleria in Casper.
April 5
-Town hall with Jim Hightower at Cheyenne Depot in Cheyenne.

Afterwards there was a lot of discussion among Sanders supporters about surrogate votes.   Would-be caucus participants could request a surrogate vote for one of six reasons (religious observance, military service, disability, illness, work schedule, and student studying abroad); the deadline for submitting the form was April 1.  On caucus day people in several counties reported that a clear majority of those in the room were Sanders supporters, but the surrogate vote went overwhelmingly to Clinton, reducing Sanders' margin. 

The doubts prompted the Wyoming Democratic  Party to issue an explanatory statement (+), assuring "that the surrogate forms were handled with the utmost integrity and respect to the voters of Wyoming."  The party reported that almost 3,300 surrogate forms were received, of which 2,848 were eligible, accounting for 40 percent of the nearly 7,200 who participated in the caucus.  The surrogate forms went 1,551 for Clinton (54.5%), 1,294 (45.4%) for Sanders and 3 for uncommitted/undecided.

REACTIONS
April 9, 2016
Bernie 2016

Sanders' Streak Continues as He Wins Wyoming

NEW YORK – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders extended his victory streak on Saturday when he won the Wyoming caucuses, his eighth victory in the last nine contests.

Sanders won the caucuses over Hillary Clinton, who pundits had cast as a prohibitive favorite when the campaign began.

He was speaking to a rally at LaGuardia Community College when his wife, Jane, went on stage to tell him the news.

"Alright, news bulletin. We just won Wyoming,” Sanders said to cheers. “We appreciate and thank the people of Wyoming so much for their support,” Sanders added.

Sanders comments on Wyoming came as he was campaigning in Queens and other boroughs of New York City in advance of the next Democratic Party primary. There are 247-pledged delegates at stake when New York Democrats go to the polls on April 19.

Sanders has been pulling closer to Clinton in the state she represented in the Senate and where he was born and raised.

Nationwide, Sanders leads Clinton in two of the past three polls. He also fared much better than Clinton in match-ups with Donald Trump and the other remaining Republican White House hopefuls.

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Hillary for America

Statement on Wyoming from Hillary for America Campaign Manager Robby Mook

Hillary for America Campaign Manager Robby Mook released the following statement on Hillary Clinton's tie in pledged delegates in Wyoming:

"We congratulate Senator Sanders on a spirited campaign in Wyoming. Outperforming expectations, Hillary Clinton tied in pledged delegates today and now leads Senator Sanders by approximately 220 pledged delegates nationwide.  Thanks to the help of thousands of volunteers, Hillary is winning the popular vote by almost 2.4 million and has a nearly insurmountable lead in pledged delegates that will become harder and harder to overcome after each contest. We are grateful to our supporters who know that Hillary Clinton would be the best candidate to break down the barriers that hold Americans back."

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Republican National Committee

RNC Statement On Hillary Clinton’s Defeat In Wyoming

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus released the following statement on Hillary Clinton’s loss in the Wyoming Democrat caucus:

“Once the inevitable frontrunner, Hillary Clinton has now lost her seventh straight contest. This embarrassing string of defeats to a 74-year old socialist from Vermont is another reminder of what a desperately flawed candidate she is, and how beatable she will be in November if she becomes the nominee. Liberals can’t stomach her constant contradictions: raising money from the very groups she pretends to attack while flip flopping on issue after issue to pander to voters.

“As both Clinton and Sanders promise to continue and expand the disastrous Obama agenda, Republicans are committed to charting a new course that will produce prosperity and security for every American. Only a Republican president in the White House can be trusted to lead the turnaround America is ready for.” 

DELEGATES
18 Delegates and 2 Alternates:
8 District-level Delegates
4 At-large Delegates
2 Pledged Party Leaders and Elected Officials
4 Unpledged Party Leaders and Elected Officials

Pledged Delegate Allocation:  Sanders 7, Clinton 7. (+)
Unpledged Delegates:  4. (+)

State Caucus/Convention: May 28, 2016 (Updated FAQ)         

Delegates