MANCHESTER, N.H. — Democratic presidential contender Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Hillicon Valley: DOJ indicts Chinese, Malaysian hackers accused of targeting over 100 organizations | GOP senators raise concerns over Oracle-TikTok deal | QAnon awareness jumps in new poll Schumer, Sanders call for Senate panel to address election security MORE (I-Vt.) said on Thursday that he does not consider himself to be the front-runner yet in the Democratic primary race.

"No," Sanders responded to CNN's Anderson Cooper at a town hall. "I think we have an excellent chance here in New Hampshire.”

“We are up against some stiff competition here in the Democratic primary," he added.

ADVERTISEMENT

The progressive senator said it was time to move on from the Iowa caucuses despite the delay in results, saying it was better to focus on the upcoming primary in the Granite State.

"We've got enough of Iowa," he said.

Sanders declared victory in Iowa on Thursday amid the fallout and confusion over the results of Monday's caucuses.

“Even though the vote tabulations have been extremely slow, we are now at a point with some 97 percent of the precincts reporting where our campaign is winning the popular initial vote by some 6,000 votes,” Sanders said at a press conference.

“And when 6,000 more people come out for you in an election than your nearest opponent, we here in northern New England call that a victory," he continued.

The comments came as the Democratic National Committee's (DNC) Chairman Tom Perez Thomas Edward PerezClinton’s top five vice presidential picks Government social programs: Triumph of hope over evidence Labor’s 'wasteful spending and mismanagement” at Workers’ Comp MORE called for a recanvass of votes in Iowa due to worries about inconsistencies in the tally.

ADVERTISEMENT

Technical difficulties and inconsistencies delayed the results of the caucuses, putting the final voter into chaos.

Sanders criticized the Iowa Democratic Party's handling of the situation, saying they "screwed up."

Former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBogeymen of the far left deserve a place in any Biden administration Overnight Defense: Woodward book causes new firestorm | Book says Trump lashed out at generals, told Woodward about secret weapons system | US withdrawing thousands of troops from Iraq A socially and environmentally just way to fight climate change MORE leads Sanders by a tenth of a percentage point among Iowa State Delegate Equivalents with 97 percent of precincts now reporting.