Iowa Caucuses
The Iowa Caucuses are the kickoff for the national presidential selection process. Iowa holds a powerful position in that process because it can serve as a sounding board for the strength of a candidate's campaign. A win in the Iowa Caucuses can validate a candidate or propel them from relative obscurity. In particular the Iowa Republican Caucuses holds the most power when the GOP is either not the party in the Presidency or when an incumbent is not on the ballot. As Iowa is the first state to cast its votes on the nominee the media often focuses heavily on opinion polls from the state to determine which way GOP voters are leaning.
In 2008 former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee grew in name recognition because of his Iowa victory and grew his national profile. In 2000 with a potentially heated nomination fight between then Texas Governor George W. Bush and Arizona Senator John McCain; Bush who carried the state with 41% of the vote set the tone for his campaign set up a successful run for the Republican Nomination and the Presidency.
During the 2012 Republican primaries the Republican Party of Iowa partnered with various news organizations such as Fox News to bring a series of debates that were nationally televised, but directed toward voters in Iowa. This national attention is a potential political boon for a small midwestern state and attracts attention politically to a state that may otherwise not receive such attention. The Iowa Caucuses also give power to the party members in the electorate. In this the average GOP voter in Iowa can set the tone for the entire primary campaign. This gives local voters tremendous control over who the next President will be.
The role played by the Iowa Caucuses is viewed with envy by states across the country. Traditionally, Iowa has been first and then followed by the state of New Hampshire, but states such as South Carolina, Nevada, and Florida have been moving up the dates of their presidential primaries to try and capture some of the media and political attention that Iowa and New Hampshire receive.
Read more about this topic: Republican Party Of Iowa
Famous quotes containing the word iowa:
“When I was growing up I used to think that the best thing about coming from Des Moines was that it meant you didn’t come from anywhere else in Iowa. By Iowa standards, Des Moines is a mecca of cosmopolitanism, a dynamic hub of wealth and education, where people wear three-piece suits and dark socks, often simultaneously.”
—Bill Bryson (b. 1951)