# Some Iowa Questions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-iowa-questions/608209>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [January 3, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-iowa-questions/608209 "2012-01-03T01:09:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**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 3, 2012, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-iowa-questions/608209/1 "2012-01-03T01:09:55Z")

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Iowa at first glance seems to be like the other Farm states such as Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, and the Dakotas? But why is it more to the left than any of those states and if that is so why is the Republican caucus so hardcore conservative, after all New Hampshire is also a swing state and its primary voters tend to be more moderate.

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**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2012, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-iowa-questions/608209/2 "2012-01-03T01:38:36Z")

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Because it’s a caucus, not a primary. Attending a caucus requires a lot more effort than stopping by the voting booth on the way home from work. Therefore the people who actually attend the caucuses are people who have very strong political opinions. People who don’t pay attention to politics except to glance at the headlines don’t attend caucuses.