“Everybody’s in it as long as they can hang,” said state Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, a Biden supporter and an influential figure in New Hampshire’s primary politics. He called the possibility of a contested convention “more likely” than it had been only several weeks ago.

Even Ray Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, suggested a winnowing of candidates here is unlikely. While fielding questions about a possible recount in New Hampshire if the election Tuesday is close, Buckley said at a Bloomberg News event that after the Iowa caucus debacle, more party officials from around the country are preparing to travel to Nevada, South Carolina and other later states to help with their elections and caucuses.

The primary is now in a state of “mumbo-jumbo,” said Robert Wolf, a venture capitalist and influential Democratic donor who raised money for and advised former President Barack Obama.

"This wasn’t a great week for the party,” Wolf said, adding that he fears the effects of a non-consolidated primary could linger.

“I think people have been misjudging the impact,” Wolf said. “When you narrow the field, things happen. All of the money’s going to a few candidates, the donor and grassroots excitement is going to a few candidates. From my perspective, that’s not showing to be true as we could have a field of eight into Super Tuesday.”

The uneasiness surrounding the nominating contest has been exacerbated by a sharpening of the campaign’s edges in New Hampshire.

Over the weekend, Biden, hobbled coming out of Iowa, ripped into Buttigieg. “This guy’s not Barack Obama,” the former vice president declared. He also released an ad mocking the gravity of Buttigieg's experience in South Bend, Ind., such as installing “decorative lights under bridges” and licensing regulations for pet chip scanners — the kind of local government experience that Buttigieg has said politicians should not discount.