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Boise • Bernie Sanders has won Idaho's Democratic presidential caucus — which once again saw record breaking voter turnout even with its deep conservative stronghold.
Sanders and Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton were vying for the state's 27 delegates to the party's national convention in Philadelphia this summer.
And while Idaho is one of the most conservative states in the nation, having not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, Sanders actively courted voters in the Gem State in the days leading up to the caucus. He had campaign rallies in eastern Idaho as well as Boise.
President Barack Obama handily won the Democratic contest in Idaho over Clinton in 2008.
Clinton had campaign workers actively reaching out to news media and organizing grassroots support efforts; and Clinton has tweeted about current issues in Idaho including legislation to prevent local municipalities from raising the minimum wage. Clinton also had several state Democratic leaders assisting with her campaign in Idaho, signaling that much of the state's Democratic establishment were ready to stand with Clinton on Tuesday.
Sanders, meanwhile, appeared Friday in Idaho Falls, in eastern Idaho, a particularly conservative corner of the state where most residents are Mormon. On Monday, Sanders appeared in Boise.
Sanders hoped to recreate the decisive win over Clinton that Obama saw in Idaho's 2008 caucus.
That year the state's Democrats held the caucus on Super Tuesday, and Obama spoke at a rally on the Boise State University campus the Saturday before. Roughly 14,000 people turned out.
State Democratic Party leaders said they saw a repeat of record number of caucus-goers this year.
Four of Idaho's most populated counties had to make last-minute changes to expand or add new caucus venues to accommodate the expected large crowds.
Organizers in Kootenai County, which includes the city of Coeur d'Alene, added a second caucusing site to ensure there's enough room for attendees. Bannock County officials moved their caucus from Idaho State University to a bigger venue.
Canyon County party officials used more of their venue — a local school — than originally planned. Ada County officials initially reserved a downtown event center but ended up reserving a sports arena next door and the outdoor space between the buildings.
"Interest in Idaho in recent weeks has really ramped up," party spokesman Dean Ferguson said.
The Idaho Democratic Party delayed the scheduled start time by nearly two hours for its busiest caucus site in Ada County after overwhelming lines of people in downtown Boise waited to get in.
Once inside the caucus location, dozens of Sanders supporters sat cross-legged on the floor, while chanting "We want Bernie." They faced multiple empty seats for Clinton.
However, Frances West, 84, said she voted for Clinton because it wasn't that long ago she was making less compared to the men in her workplace.
"What she has done for women is incredible," she said. "I am so proud of her, I love Hillary. She is a fighter."
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter threw his support behind Clinton, but his speech in front of Boise voters was peppered with Sanders supporters' enthusiastic interruptions.
"The only thing I like more than Democrats cheering is Republicans crying," Bieter said.
Full crowds were not expected in eastern Idaho, which has a robust Republican stronghold and a high Mormon population. Ten counties east of more liberal-leaning Ada County had split into five pairs to share caucus locations Tuesday.
Candidates must get at least 15 percent of the participants to qualify for any delegates. The delegates chosen at the county caucuses will support their candidate at the state Democratic convention, and from there, 27 delegates will be awarded to go to the national nominating convention.