FOREST PARK, Ohio – If Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders gets the Democratic nomination for president, he may have College Hill resident Richard Asimus to thank, at least in part.

The 76-year-old Democrat rallied about 200 friends and fellow activists Tuesday night to vote for him as a Sanders delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Milwaukee in July.

It was the largest contingent for any presidential candidate at the Democratic pre-primary caucus vote held Tuesday night in Hamilton County's 1st Congressional District.

Asimus and friends were among a thousand Democrats gathered in the classrooms and gymnasium of Winton Woods Intermediate School in Forest Park to pick delegates to the national convention.

Democrats in each of Ohio's 16 congressional districts held identical elections.

Only one thing was clear by the end of the night: Democrats are fired up about the presidential election. They're just fired up about different candidates.

Here's how the delegate process works.

Any Democratic candidate in the March 17 primary in Ohio who gets at least 15% of the vote in any one of the state's 16 congressional districts will get at least one delegate. Delegates for candidates who meet that threshold are apportioned based on percentage of the vote.

In the 1st Congressional District of Hamilton County and Warren County, slates of delegates were chosen for six Democratic presidential candidates: former Vice President Joe Biden, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

By far the most crowded room, with more than 200 people, was the vote for Sanders' delegates.

The Sanders delegation pushed the delegation for Buttigieg out of the school's basketball gymnasium and into a smaller classroom.

But Sanders supporters shouldn't spike the ball just yet.

Many in the auditorium told The Enquirer they weren't necessarily voting for Sanders. They were voting for Asimus, who is a chief organizer for the local Democratic activist group, Bold New Democracy.

Asimus and other Sanders supporters still took the packed auditorium as a good sign. Asimus, in a black sailor's cap and herringbone jacket, worked the room shaking hands and laughing it up. His wife handed out snacks.

"When people ask about who's the most electable, I don't think it's a valid question," Asimus said. "It's not about electability. It's about energy. There was a movement here with Sanders."

For many Democrats in that Forest Park school Tuesday night, electability was the most important factor in who they're supporting. But opinions differed on who could beat President Donald Trump.

Biden had the second-largest crowd, with about a hundred people crammed into a small classroom to vote on his delegates.

"He's got the name recognition," said John Horn, of Maineville, who supports Biden. Horn, a labor leader with the Ohio Association of Public School Employees, said he believes Biden and Klobuchar line up best on union issues. He actually prefers Klobuchar but "I don't think she's going to make it all the way."

A few had faith in Klobuchar.

There were four people in Klobuchar's classroom to pick delegates. One of them was Linda Fowler, 76, of Lebanon.

Fowler believes the other Democratic candidates are too far to the left to beat Trump.

"It's not about what she is. It's what the others are," Fowler said. "She's more apt to get the swing voters."

For Donna Jewell, 55, of Delhi, the answer is Buttigieg. His intelligence, charisma and centrist policies swayed Jewell support Buttigieg.

"He's someone who can take on Trump on the stage in a debate," Jewell said. "Biden is going to get flustered."

Andrew Yang didn't have delegates picked Tuesday since he's running as a write-in candidate. If he gets more than 15% of the vote in any congressional district in the March 17 primary, an election will be held afterward to pick delegates.

Tuesday night's caucuses sent a message to the Republicans, said Ohio Democratic Chairman David Pepper. A record 3,300 people statewide applied for the 89 delegate slots for Ohio. That shattered the previous record of 800 set four years ago.

"It's exploded," Pepper said. "For us, that's a sign of huge energy."