Julián Castro calls Iowa caucus debacle 'a total mess'

Former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Julián Castro has been a fierce critic of Iowa being the first in the nation to vote, and the events of Monday night did nothing to change his mind.

The Iowa Democratic Party has not yet released the results of Monday's caucuses, saying the delay is caused by "inconsistencies in the reporting of three sets of results." The numbers are not expected to come out until later on Tuesday, and the whole thing is a "total mess," Castro tweeted. "I respect the people of Iowa, they've been great — but it's become very clear that our democracy has been misserved by a broken system."

Castro dropped out of the race in early January and endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). Last November, Castro questioned why Iowa and New Hampshire, two states that do not have diverse populations, are among the first four nominating states. He was annoyed by an op-ed by the chairmen of Iowa's Democratic and Republican parties that defended Iowa's first-in-the-nation status, saying it "isn't about party affiliation or identity politics."

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Castro released a blistering statement at the time, declaring that Iowa Republicans were happy to "join hands with the Iowa Democratic Party to defend a caucus system that actively diminishes the voices of African Americans and people of color in the Democratic presidential nominating process." The Democratic Party "should be the champion of reforms that protect our elections and expand participation," he continued. "Speaking up for the representation of every voter in our elections is as American as it gets, and if we can't fight for that, then why the hell are we Democrats in the first place?"