Iowa caucus catastrophe worsens for Democrats as AP says no clear winner can be declared

The woes of the Iowa Democratic Party worsened on Thursday when the Associated Press reported that it would not be able to declare a winner of the key first election of the Democratic primary.

The AP released a statement citing the demand from the Democratic National Committee that the state party recanvass the results.

"The Associated Press calls a race when there is a clear indication of a winner," read a statement from AP senior vice president and executive editor Sally Buzbee.

"Because of a tight margin between former Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Bernie Sanders and the irregularities in this year's caucus process, it is not possible to determine a winner at this point," the statement continued.

Iowa Democrats were stunned and angered by the demand from DNC chairman Tom Perez on Thursday that they recanvass the disputed results. They indicated that they may not follow the demand from the DNC unless a candidate specifically asks for the same re-tabulation of results.

Hill.tv host Krystal Ball criticized the demand from Perez, calling it "manipulative" and "irresponsible."

"The Iowa caucus should be recanvassed AFTER the results are fully reported out," she tweeted. "It is wildly manipulative and irresponsible to do so at 97% of the vote just as Sanders' lead was set to be revealed."

The development was just the latest in a series of embarrassing blunders of the Iowa Democratic Party in implementing the first state primary caucuses of the Democratic presidential effort.

The massive incompetence manifested in the debacle has led some supporters to cling to conspiracy theories that their candidates have been shortchanged by the party rigging the presidential competition.

Here's more about the Iowa debacle:

www.youtube.com