2012 Iowa Caucus Election Guide

 
2012 iowas caucus information
Information Directory for the 2012 Iowa Caucus.

2012 Iowa Caucus Results *99% precincts reporting

Candidate
Votes
Pct.
Rick Santorum
29,805
24.6%
Mitt Romney
29,839
24.5%
Ron Paul
26,036
21.4%
Newt Gingrich
16,163
13.3%
Rick Perry
12,557
10.3%
Michele Bachmann
6,046
5.0%
Jon Huntsman
739
0.6%
Other
316
0.3%
Iowa Caucus set for January 3, 2012

The Rules and Bylaws Committee voted to set the Iowa Caucuses for 2012 on Monday, January 3, 2012. The Iowa Caucus is the first step of the United States presidential election process. It came into prominence in 1976 when unknown Georgia governor, Jimmy Carter finished 2nd behind "uncommitted" with 28% and went on to win the Democratic nomination and eventually the presidency of the United States. In 2008, a bad showing in Iowa will likely mean the end for prospective presidential candidates.

By party preference Iowa will elect delegates to the 99 county conventions. Presidential preference on the Republican side is done with a straw vote of those attending the caucus. This vote is sometimes done by a show of hands or by dividing themselves into groups according to candidate. In precincts that elect only 1 delegate they choose the delegate by majority vote and it must be a paper ballot. Democratic candidates must receive at least 15 percent of the votes in that precinct to move on to the county convention. If a candidate receives less than 15 percent of the votes, supporters of non-viable candidates have the option to join a viable candidate group, join another non-viable candidate group to become viable, join other groups to form an uncommitted group or chose to go nowhere and not be counted. Non-viable groups have up to 30 minutes to realign, if they fail to do so in that time, they can ask the for more time, which is voted on by the caucus as a whole. If the caucus refuses, re-alignment is done and delegates are awarded. A "third party" may hold a convention to nominate one candidate for president and one for vice president as well. The results of this caucus activity on both the Democratic and Republican sides are not binding on the elected delegates, but the delegates usually feel obligated to follow the wishes expressed by the caucus-goers.

Democrats' Glance

The 2008 Democratic winner was of the Iowa Caucuses was current president, Barack Obama. At this time there is not a likely challenger to the incumbent Democratic president.

If there were Hillary Clinton would be the most likely to run or the possibility of someone from the Liberal-Wing of the party.

 

Barack Obama - Iowa Caucus

 

 
Republicans' Glance

A brief history of the republican Iowa Caucus shows the winner of this important caucus doesn't mean that candidate will be the nominee.

In 2004 George W. Bush ran unopposed, but in 2000 he faced stiff competition from business man Steve Forbes and edged him out 41 % to 30%. Once again, even though Bush stumbled in New Hampshire, Iowa gave us the Republican nominee and the next president of the United States.

In 1996 Bob Dole won and became the nominee, but in 1988 Bob Dole also won, but George H. Bush who finished a solid 3rd, would go on to win the nomination and the presidency.

In 2008 Mike Huckabee won with 38% of the vote while eventual nominee, John McCain, finished in fourth with just 14% of the vote.

So while the 2012 Republican Iowa Caucus still has extreme importance, its winner is not necessarily the guaranteed to be the Republican nominee to face Barack Obama in the 2012 presidential election.

Mike Huckabee, the 2008 winner, is the early favorite to win the 2012 Iowa Caucus, but he will have a lot of competition. The big question is how someone like Sarah Palin or other Tea-Party candidates might play in Iowa. Nearby Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty should have a solid chance and one-time House leader Newt Gingrich may attempt his political comeback in Iowa.
 
 

©2006-2012 TheIowaCaucus.com. All Rights Reserved