No candidate has won a major nomination without coming in the top 2 in New Hampshire or Iowa since 1972, which is good news for Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg

Shayanne Gal/Business Insider

Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

• No presidential candidate has placed lower than second in either New Hampshire or Iowa and gone on to become the nominee.
• There were exceptions to this rule in 2012 and 1996 when Iowa didn't hold its caucus.
• This bodes well for Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who have both dominated the first two 2020 states.
• Sanders was projected to win New Hampshire on Tuesday with Buttigieg in a close second, while the two remain neck and neck in Iowa as the state is recanvassed.
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The outcome of the Iowa caucus last week and the New Hampshire primary this week will have significant implications for the 2020 race.

Since 1972, when Iowa became the first contest of the presidential election cycle, no candidate has won a major party nomination without finishing first or second in Iowa or New Hampshire. (There were exceptions to this rule in 2012 and 1996 when Iowa didn't hold its caucus).

This bodes well for Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who have dominated the first two 2020 states. Sanders was projected to win New Hampshire on Tuesday with Buttigieg in a close second, while the two remain neck and neck in Iowa as the state is recanvassed.

Both states are deeply unrepresentative of the rest of the nation and of the Democratic electorate, in large part because they're about 90% white. Many argue that allowing the two states to vote first gives white voters in red and purple areas disproportionate say in who becomes president.

Skye Gould/Insider

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