US Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush on Monday won the Democratic and Republican Iowa caucuses, the first vote of the 2000 presidential campaign.

According to the latest, unofficial returns in the Democratic caucuses with 85 percent of the precincts reporting, Gore beat rival Bill Bradley with a comfortable lead with 63 percent of vote. Former New Jersey Senator Bradley got 35 percent.

"We've just begun to fight," Gore said. His victory blunted Bradley's challenge going into the New Hampshire primary next week. Bradley polled even with Gore, or even ahead, in that state.

Bradley described the result as "a little bump in the road." He said no matter the results in Iowa, he had the bankroll to fight on for the nomination in next week's New Hampshire primary.

With 92 percent of the precincts reporting, Republican Bush got41 percent of the votes in the Republican caucuses and certified his position as republican presidential front-runner.

The Texas governor read the results as an "outpouring of support for my message of compassionate conservatism."

Observers said Bush's strength came from Republicans who cited moral values and protecting Social Security and Medicare. Bush commanded the field among voters who said that the most important quality in a candidate was the ability to win in November.

Millionaire publisher Steve Forbes, who has poured millions of his own dollars into his second bid for the presidency, finished second with 30 percent, followed by former US Ambassador to the United Nations Alan Keyes with 14 percent. Arizona Senator John McCain, who did not campaign in the state and concentrated his money and energy in New Hampshire, got 5 percent.

Forbes, who emerged as conservative alternative, outpolled Bushstrongly among Republicans who cited abortion as their top issue, and more narrowly among voters who cited taxes as their biggest concern.

Caucus is a party meeting at the precinct level at which citizens express their candidate preferences and pick delegates to their county conventions.

The Democratic and Republican parties each held precinct meetings at more than 2,100 locations across Iowa State, including schools, fire stations and churches. (Xinhua)