Some voters in Iowa are siding with Bernie Sanders over Hillary Clinton because of Clinton’s close ties to special interest groups, CNN reported Thursday.
CNN reporter Jeff Zeleny interviewed Lori Arnold, an Iowan from Fort Dodge, who said she is voting for Sanders because he has built his campaign without relying on special-interest money.
"I think Hillary has taken some special interest groups and … lined her pockets a little with those, and Bernie hasn't. Bernie's taken money, ten bucks here, ten bucks there, and that is how he's building what he wants to see done with this country," Arnold said.
Sanders has prided himself on not taking money from special interests, raising $1 million from 36,000 individual donors on the night of the last Democratic debate alone. He has also criticized Clinton for her ties with Wall Street, slamming her for charging an average of $225,000 for speaking appearances at six different big banks in 2013.
Iowa voters also find Sanders appealing because of his authenticity and his appeals to the heart, Zeleny said.
"We're finding a lot of voters who like Hillary Clinton just fine but they love Bernie Sanders," Zeleny said. "Voters are willing to … follow their hearts with Bernie."
Whereas Bernie is appealing to voter’s hearts, Zeleny said that Clinton is trying to convince voters using logic, telling "them that her experience is necessary."
With 11 days before the Iowa caucuses, Zeleny said that the choice between Sanders and Clinton will be a choice between following the heart or the head.
"Are voters going to follow their hearts, with Bernie Sanders, or follow their heads, as Hillary Clinton is asking them to do?" Zeleny said.
A recent CNN/WMUR poll showed Sanders ahead by 30 points in New Hampshire while Sanders and Clinton remain neck-and-neck in Iowa.