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My Efforts Helped Hillary Clinton Win Iowa, De Blasio Says

By Jeff Mays | February 3, 2016 5:17pm
 Mayor Bill de Blasio believes his grunt work for Hillary Clinton ahead of the Iowa Caucuses may have paid off. Here, the mayor  greets New York City residents at a disaster preparedness fair in Lower Manhattan on Aug. 27, 2015. The city is spending $100 million to add storm protections to Lower Manhattan.
Mayor Bill de Blasio believes his grunt work for Hillary Clinton ahead of the Iowa Caucuses may have paid off. Here, the mayor greets New York City residents at a disaster preparedness fair in Lower Manhattan on Aug. 27, 2015. The city is spending $100 million to add storm protections to Lower Manhattan.
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DNAinfo/Jeff Mays

NEW YORK CITY — Mayor Bill de Blasio believes his grunt work for Hillary Clinton ahead of the Iowa Caucuses may have paid off.

The mayor and his wife Chirlane McCray spent three days in Iowa knocking on doors to try to woo voters and giving campaign workers pep talks.

Clinton beat out Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders 49.9 percent to 49.6 percent, giving her 23 delegates to Sanders' 21, according to the Associated Press.

"I had the pleasure of going to a number of the staging areas where volunteers were gathering to go out canvassing and revving up the volunteers and really telling them how important it was to get out every vote," de Blasio said.

"Little did we know that more than ever it was literally the closest Democratic caucus in the history of Iowa caucuses," he added.

The mayor had no appearances with Clinton and no headline speeches, a surprise for someone of his name recognition in the Democratic Party. Media reports said de Blasio kept reporters at bay and was little recognized as he canvassed door to door.

De Blasio said he was glad to roll up his sleeves and pitch in.

"I'm glad we knocked on over 2,500 doors in such a close race. I think that people to people contact matters in every election but nowhere more so than the Iowa caucuses," de Blasio said.

The mayor said Clinton's campaign is in good shape as it heads to New Hampshire.

"In the end she had a great ground game. Her campaign is stronger than ever. Certainly when you look at how it was in the past it is a much stronger campaign," the mayor said.

De Blasio said he's willing to do more grunt work as the campaign for the Democratic nomination proceeds.

"It's totally up to the campaign what they need and I'm happy to do whatever they need," he said.