Iowa Caucus

History of the Iowa Caucus

The 1968 Democratic National Convention passed a motion to establish a commission to reform the party's candidate selection process. In 1969, the 28-member Commission on Party Structure and Delegate Selection was established. Senator George McGovern was named the chair of this Reform Commission (he would be succeeded by Minnesota Congressman Don Fraser). The commission's recommendations were intended to open access to the presidential nomination process and insure representation at the convention of women, minorities, and young people.

The most important recommendation of the commission was that Democratic primaries and caucuses should determine the party's presidential candidate. This resulted in convention delegate selection being shifted from party leaders to voters in primaries and caucuses. In response to the changes mandated by the Democratic Party, the first Iowa caucus took place in 1972. The winner of the first Iowa caucus was Senator Edmund S. Muskie of Maine, who was the front-runner at the time of the caucus. However, Muskie's campaign would later falter, the eventual Democratic nominee was McGovern, who had finished second to Muskie in Iowa. The first Iowa caucus was exclusively a Democratic Party contest; the Republicans would hold their first Iowa caucus in 1976.

In 1976, President Gerald Ford defeated Ronald Reagan in the first Republican caucus. On the Democratic side, a slate of delegates not pledged to any candidate received the most support, capturing 37 percent of the vote. However, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter would finish with 28 percent, and was able to capitalize on his victory in Iowa by winning the New Hampshire Primary, the Democratic Party's nomination, and the presidency. Since that time, presidential candidates have come to regard the Iowa Caucus and the New Hampshire Primary as important first tests, and have spent a great deal of time in the states. The 1988 caucus was the largest event, as 13 candidates campaigned in Iowa. According to Des Moines Register columnist David Yepsen, the candidates “spent an estimated 846 days and deployed 596 staffers in the state during the two years that preceded the February 8, 1988 caucus-night balloting.”

While candidates spend much time in Iowa prior to the caucus, victory does not always insure nomination. The 1980 (George H.W. Bush) and 1988 (Bob Dole) Republican caucus winners did not win the party's nomination. In the Democratic Party, the 1972 (Muskie), 1988 (Richard Gephardt), and 1992 (Tom Harkin) caucus winners would not win the nomination. In 1992, the caucuses attracted little national attention as native son Harkin, a U.S. Senator, and President George H.W. Bush ran unopposed in their caucuses. However, while ultimate victory is not always the result of an Iowa victory, failure to do well in the state can often lead to the collapse of a campaign. The most notable example occurred in 2004, when Democratic front-runner, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, finished third, 20 percentage points behind the caucus winner (and eventual Democratic nominee) John Kerry. Dean's campaign was further damaged by his “I have a scream” speech that he made to his supporters at his post-caucus rally.

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