# 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:** 4
**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, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/61 "2012-01-04T06:22:26Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > Yeah, it looks like it will be less than 20 votes between the two of them. > > See? In Iowa, our votes really DO count. Hmm, Clinton county may push Romney over the top. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/62 "2012-01-04T06:24:02Z")
Santorum winning: proof I need to sell my google shares. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/63 "2012-01-04T06:27:58Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I gotta say though that it saddening and disappointing to see that reactionary Santorum (along with Bachmann the LCD of the GOP candidates) being neck and neck with Romney… ☹ Not to mention Huntsman **got less than one percent** :(☹ I hate to break it to you Qin, but you’re probably a Democrat. No worries, there’s a decent chance that the sanity brigade will overtake at least a corner of the Republican Party by the time you’re old enough to pull the lever. Here’s hoping. (Then again, I was a Republican at your age, FWIW, YMMV, then again so was **elucidator** , etc. etc.) > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Santorum and Romney still neck-and-neck, last I heard – is the Iowa Caucus winner-take-all? Heh. It’s a caucus. The reported vote count has nothing to do with actual delegates that are selected. We’re discussing a media exercise. [Details here.](http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/01/update-how-iowa-really-works) So this thread, as fun as it is, is highly meta. > [@RTFirefly](#): > > To see Gingrich winning, one really has to envision Romney’s vote share rarely getting much above 30%. Cogent analysis. My scenario depends upon the not-Romney vote exceeding 60% nationally and rotating among a varying cast of clowns. I can see Gingrich winning South Carolina. Florida would be tougher: I suspect that organization would matter a lot in such a large state. That could be where Romney clinches it. ---
**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, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/64 "2012-01-04T06:28:04Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Hmm, Clinton county may push Romney over the top. Interesting. The win will be mostly symbolic. All three men did exceptionally well. I really see Ron Paul getting a boost from this (unfortunately). Clinton County. \ There was _definitely_ pie served there. ---
**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, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/65 "2012-01-04T06:30:47Z")
Oh, and **Brian** : The caucus is the beginning. People selected delegates tonight. Delegates are selected based on percentages of the vote. Then those delegates go to the district and then state conventions. I hope the whole damned Republican nomination process is a zoo. It beats hearing about the Kardashians. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/66 "2012-01-04T06:33:59Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Somewhere in Vegas tonight, I’d say chances are pretty good Santorum’s gonna cover the spread. This is even easier than Uranus jokes, isn’t it. I say, good for Iowa for making things interesting! ---
**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, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/67 "2012-01-04T06:36:10Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > The win will be mostly symbolic. All three men did exceptionally well. I really see Ron Paul getting a boost from this (unfortunately). > > Clinton County. \ There was _definitely_ pie served there. Symbolic, but also psychological. A Santorum win with Romney in second place is good for Santorum, but is just as good for Romney as Romney has legs and Santorum doesn’t. A win for Romney, even by a few votes, is huge for a candidate who didn’t really campaign in the state as far as I know, and could make his nomination, in the minds of Republican primary voters, a fait accompli, changing the dynamic in SC and FL. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/68 "2012-01-04T07:07:22Z")
Much as I disagree with pretty much every policy position he has, I have to admit Santorum gave a great victory speech. I just heard snippets of Gingrich’s concession speech, in which he suggested that negative campaigning is dishonoring American soldiers, somehow. What a dick. ---
**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, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/69 "2012-01-04T07:25:05Z")
> [@Onomatopoeia](#): > > Symbolic, but also psychological. A Santorum win with Romney in second place is good for Santorum, but is just as good for Romney as Romney has legs and Santorum doesn’t. A win for Romney, even by a few votes, is huge for a candidate who didn’t really campaign in the state as far as I know, and could make his nomination, in the minds of Republican primary voters, a fait accompli, changing the dynamic in SC and FL. Yeah, Romney [held steady enough](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/03/iowa-caucus-final-poll-sn_n_1180402.html). Santorum had the biggest boost. I think the media did a lot of Romney’s campaigning for him. I can only guess. I don’t watch Iowa TV as I live in Colorado now. I still read the Cedar Rapids paper, but… (: ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/70 "2012-01-04T07:33:00Z")
Miss the raw, pulse pounding excitement, eh? ---
**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, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/71 "2012-01-04T07:35:12Z")
And the pie. ☹ ---
**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, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/72 "2012-01-04T07:43:02Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > And the pie. > > ☹ Note to self: If ever in Iowa, try the pie. ---
**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, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/73 "2012-01-04T07:51:54Z")
BaaH! Romney won by _eight_! eta: In this thread or another, I mentioned delegates. Head/smack. These are Republicans. Doh! ---
**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, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/74 "2012-01-04T07:56:44Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Note to self: If ever in Iowa, try the pie. I’ll serve you [my specialty](http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v287/123/52/42111580/n42111580_33061300_3599.jpg). It’s a [winner](http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v286/123/52/42111580/n42111580_33070597_2085.jpg)! ---
**Author:** ![Oliveritaly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oliveritaly/32/15233_2.png) [@Oliveritaly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oliveritaly)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/75 "2012-01-04T08:46:08Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > I hope the whole damned Republican nomination process is a zoo. It beats hearing about the Kardashians. THIS is truth +1! I’m not a republican and I will be voting for Obama but the politics of it are still just facinating … My friends and family think I’m a nutcase, and maybe their right, but give me this over the X-factor, or dancing with the starts or America’s next blahblah any day … ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/76 "2012-01-04T11:59:21Z")
Damn, I was really hoping the results would be enough to push Santorum out. ---
**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, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/77 "2012-01-04T12:03:34Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#): > > BaaH! Romney won by _eight_! Hah! So my guess [in this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14628328&postcount=167) from yesterday afternoon was right! What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/78 "2012-01-04T12:30:21Z")
I haven’t heard any of the media talking heads actually analyze how crippling those 8 votes were to Santorum. Instead of seeing “Santorum Wins Iowa Caucus” you see “Romney Wins in Close Race.” Nine more votes would have been a game changer for Santorum. I don’t care how close it was; a win is scoring and a loss is going home and jerking off. If I was Santorum’s campaign manager, I would get volunteers in groups of nine to go around and do, er something, just to show how every vote counts and how each of those groups could change an election. A “Go the Whole Nine Yards for Rick” campaign in New Hampshire. For the next nine days. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/79 "2012-01-04T14:01:23Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Damn, I was really hoping the results would be enough to push Santorum out. No, some amount is going to be absorbed into the system ---
**Author:** ![Oliveritaly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oliveritaly/32/15233_2.png) [@Oliveritaly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oliveritaly)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326/80 "2012-01-04T14:04:01Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Damn, I was really hoping the results would be enough to push Santorum out. Doesn’t this mean that the national spotlight is about to really hit Santorum hard? Something that until now really hasn’t happened. He made VERY extensive efforts in Iowa and it paid off for him but I can’t see him doing anything close to that in N.H. This is Romney’s race to win. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/iowa-caucuses/608326.md?page=5)