What is the fall-out from the Iowa Caucus in Vermont?

With Barack Obama’s victory over Hillary Clinton the momentum in the Democratic primary looks like it may have shifted.   I wanted to see who was jumping up and down on Thursday night and who was starting to think they may have backed the wrong horse.  My findings were interesting….

Let’s start with the political officials that maybe backed the wrong horse.  Hillary’s website touts the support of these nine “leading Vermont legislators”:

• Sen. Hinda Miller
• Sen. Sara Branon Kittell
• Rep. Donna Sweaney
• Rep. Johannah Leddy Donovan
• Rep. Kathleen C. Keenan
• Rep. Bill Aswad
• Rep. Steve Howard
• Rep. Albert "Sonny" Audette
• Rep. Daryl Pillsbury

I’m sure Obama’s White House Protocol office will remember your names…  no White House Christmas Parties, no Christmas card from President Obama to show off to the in-laws.  Some probably used to be on Bill’s x-mas card list and just wanted to make sure they stayed on the list.  I was surprised to see so few names actually, since she is our neighboring Senator.  But then I looked into her donors as well, she had just 35 total Vermont donors?  And she only raised $35,000, here.  This is shocking with the large number of small donors in Vermont.   Maybe she just ignored us being a small state. 

Yet, after looking at Thursday nights winner’s Vermont fundraising numbers it’s clear that Vermont feels a lot more like Iowans about this race.  Vermonters are writing check for Obama.  Barack has ten times the Vermont donors with 345 total donors and having raised ten times as much, $360,000. 

Yes, so the Carpenter’s had to be excited.  Donna and Jake Carpenter of founders of Burton Snowboards had maxed out to Obama.  So had Jennifer and Ian Lutz of Perkinsville, Vermont.  The local Alpaca breeders had given their man $4,600 each as well. 

And on the Republican side, the one Mike Huckabee donor in Vermont, Kevin Blier must have been excited as well!  Kevin is notorious for his strong right wing views and his involvement with Vermont Renewal and now his man has just won the Iowa caucus.