Kerry Wins Iowa

Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts won the first primary in Iowa for the party’s presidential nomination.

John Edwards, a first-term senator from North Carolina, managed a second-place finish, and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, an early favorite in the polls, was left in third place. Rep. Dick Gephardt indicated he was dropping out of the race.

Kerry, Edwards, Dean, and retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark will be the four frontrunners in the New Hampshire primary next Tuesday.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Kerry won 38 percent of the state convention delegates, with 32 percent for Edwards, 18 percent for Dean, and 11 percent for Gephardt.

“I want to thank Iowa for making me the ‘comeback Kerry’, ” the winner said. “I make you this pledge -- I have only just begun to fight.”

Democrats from 1,993 precincts participated in the Iowa caucuses held for two hours starting at 6:30 p.m.

Those attending the party meetings publicly stated whom they supported and why at 7: 00 p.m. In the realignment stage beginning at 8: 00p.m. supporters of the candidates who garnered less than 15 percent of votes switched their support to another candidate or gave up.

maypole@donga.com