# Iowa Caucuses **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 4, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326 "2012-01-04T02:06:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/41 "2012-01-04T05:18:35Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Huckabee isn’t really comparable to Santorum. Huckabee isn’t viciously partisan and moderate on quite a few issues, he’s Evangelical but more in the tradition of Ned Flanders than Pat Robertson. I know, but that’s not what I meant. Heck, I **like** Huckabee. I don’t think his religion is something he wears, unlike so many other politicos. From what I’ve seen, Santorum has more of a religious “aura” than the other candidates. If an evangelical was looking for someone to vote for in 2008 it was gonna be Huckabee and in 2012, it’s Santorum. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/42 "2012-01-04T05:20:03Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Mother of Buddha, preserve us. Santorum is squeaking out . . . Yea, verily, may “Bob” everlastingly bless Dan Savage! ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/43 "2012-01-04T05:21:41Z")
I don’t know if this is true, but it’s something I’ve noticed: Where Santorum wins, he wins pretty convincingly. Where Romney wins, Santorum is more or less right behind him. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/44 "2012-01-04T05:21:50Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Santorum and Romney still neck-and-neck, last I heard – is the Iowa Caucus winner-take-all? No. The caucuses are a prelude to the state convention, where delegates (who come from the caucuses) can change their votes. Which makes the caucus process even more – what? Meaningless? ETA: Actually, I think the caucus delegates go to county conventions, then state. Whatever, nothing’s written on stone. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/45 "2012-01-04T05:24:25Z")
> [@Morgyn](#): > > Mother of Buddha, preserve us. Santorum is squeaking out a win, and Gingrich is declaring that he’ll now be working for Santorum because he’s ticked at Romney. > > Santorum? _Santorum_? I live in PA. The only thing our current Senators have to recommend them is that they’re not Santorum, and even that’s a reach. How in hell is this even _happening_? How can you reconcile a state that’s approved gay marriage with this support for one of the most vocal, yea, virulent, anti-gay-marriage candidates out there? Well, Iowa approved gay marriage via judicial decisions and at the next election a whole bunch of judges who supported said decision lost. Also, the people who are generally in support of marriage equality are not really participating in republican caucuses. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/46 "2012-01-04T05:26:12Z")
I think the public vitriol between Newt and Romney is setting up a third party run by someone (Santorum? Newt? Sarah? The Donald?) quite nicely. It’s like when wrestlers jaw at each other after a Pay-Per-View Royal Rumble in order to set up a fantastic new story line in the months to come. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/47 "2012-01-04T05:26:23Z")
PBS NewsHour was talking about how the counties around Sioux City might go for Romney, yet all of it seems to be strongly Santorum country, ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/48 "2012-01-04T05:27:27Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > No. The caucuses are a prelude to the state convention, where delegates (who come from the caucuses) can change their votes. > > Which makes the caucus process even more – what? Meaningless? > > ETA: Actually, I think the caucus delegates go to county conventions, then state. Whatever, nothing’s written on stone. Next stop? Regionals! ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/49 "2012-01-04T05:32:24Z")
Wow. Romney and Santorum are currently 5 votes apart. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/50 "2012-01-04T05:33:48Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Where Romney wins, Santorum is more or less right behind him. It just never… gets… old! As for the race, my screen is showing Romney up by 40 votes or so right now (although it was a 5-vote advantage for Santorum on the previous update). Really a great night for Romney all around I’d think. I can’t imagine there are nearly enough not-Romney voters in NH that would actually vote for Santorum - he’s just not the right flavor for NH, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/51 "2012-01-04T05:37:30Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > It just never… gets… old! > > As for the race, my screen is showing Romney up by 40 votes or so right now (although it was a 5-vote advantage for Santorum on the previous update). > > Really a great night for Romney all around I’d think. I can’t imagine there are nearly enough not-Romney voters in NH that would actually vote for Santorum - he’s just not the right flavor for NH, so to speak. Santorum is the flavor they hunger? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/52 "2012-01-04T05:40:32Z")
Just heard Gingrich on the radio saying how (despite running fourth) he’s not dropping out, going to fight it in NH, etc. So. Going into the first primary in a four-way race that still includes three not-Romneys. [pops corn] ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/53 "2012-01-04T05:46:45Z")
Somewhere in Vegas tonight, I’d say chances are pretty good Santorum’s gonna cover the spread. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/54 "2012-01-04T05:49:19Z")
I think Perry, and even Bachmann, will see the light and pull the plug in the coming days. As others have said, I think Huntsman is really running for 2016, so he may stay in for a while, and spend just enough money to remain on the radar. Gingrich is delusional. He never had a shot in the first place, but his blip as the not-Romney has gone to his head. If he doesn’t win SC, he’ll drop out. Paul will probably stick around for a while and be the sty in the eye of whoever the frontrunner is at the moment. Although, in the end, Romney will be the nominee, it’s still fun to watch all the other candidates make fools of themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/55 "2012-01-04T05:50:25Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > So. Going into the first primary in a four-way race that still includes three not-Romneys. Yes, that’s how it tends to work. Unless Romney’s been trying to clone himself a running mate… ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/56 "2012-01-04T05:56:33Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > I think Perry, and even Bachmann, will see the light and pull the plug in the coming days. Perry’s already announced he’s out. ETA: actually I guess he’s announced he’s “reassessing his campaign”, so not officially out yet. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/57 "2012-01-04T05:57:08Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Here’s a scenario: > Santorum takes Iowa. > Mitt takes NH. > Gingrich takes S. Carolina – then Florida. He’s #1 in the polls in both. The problem is imagining a scenario where Gingrich takes SC or FL. Paul and Santorum will still be around, and so will the anti-Newt ads that worked so well in Iowa. To see Gingrich winning, one really has to envision Romney’s vote share rarely getting much above 30%. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/58 "2012-01-04T06:11:21Z")
Ron Paul’s numbers aren’t surprising. In the more “liberal” parts of the state, Romney & Paul did the best. These are the neighbors of the people who helped Howard Dean and Barack Obama back in the good ole days. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/59 "2012-01-04T06:14:28Z")
The 2 remaining counties to report are currently split 1 for Romney, 1 for Santorum. It looks like Santorum may end the night with a slight edge. He’s currently 15 votes ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/60 "2012-01-04T06:18:04Z")
Yeah, it looks like it will be less than 20 votes between the two of them. See? In Iowa, our votes really DO count. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326.md?page=4)