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This week's delay in the results, mostly caused by a glitchy voting app, will add more fuel to the argument that the state's early status is more trouble than its worth, according to Christina Greer, an associate professor of politics at Fordham University.

\"It really does not look great for Iowa,\" she said. \"The whole world was watching and now it's eroded the confidence of voters.\"

\"PHOTO:
Charlie Neibergall/AP
PHOTO: Local residents wait to enter an Iowa Democratic caucus at Hoover High School, Feb. 3, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa.
>

Iowa became the first state in the nation to decide its presidential candidates in the early 70s after the state Democrats changed their caucusing system and had it at the beginning of the year before other states had their primaries. The process has been criticized for its rules including the lack of anonymous voting, the state's small number of minority voters and the long process to determine a winner.

The app's failure and subsequent delay of the results was the final straw for some political pundits and observers.

David Epsen, the host of Iowa Press on PBS who has covered the caucuses for over over 40 years, predicted Monday night that the caucuses would be done.

\"The good news out of the demise of the caucuses is that it will be easier for us natives to get a table at 801,\" he later tweeted.

\"PHOTO:
Brian Snyder/Reuters
PHOTO: Caucus participants arrive to register in Des Moines, Iowa, Feb. 3, 2020.
>

Iowa political leaders on both sides of the aisle, however, reiterated Tuesday that their state's process is sound and it would remain the first in the nation. U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds released a statement backing the process.

\"PHOTO:
Charlie Neibergall/AP
PHOTO: A supporter for Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang waits in the stands before a Democratic caucus at Hoover High School, Feb. 3, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa.
>

\"The face-to-face retail politics nature of Iowa's caucus system also encourages dialogue between candidates and voters that makes our presidential candidates accountable for the positions they take and the records they hold,\" they said in a statement.

Goldford said it is too early to determine if Iowa's political parties will make any changes to their nomination system, but said Monday's problems would push them harder to ensure it doesn't happen again.

\"There will be an attempt to tweak and nudge the system to that it could be more fundamental,\" he said.

Karen Kedrowski, a professor of political science at Iowa State University, also said the caucus critics won't forget this year's mess and it could certainly lead to changes in the next presidential election cycle. However, she noted, political pride in the process runs strong in the state.

\"Iowans will fight tooth and nail to keep their first in the nation status,\" Kedrowski said.

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