2008 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses

2008 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses

← 2000 January 3, 2008 (2008-01-03) 2012 →
 
Nominee Mike Huckabee Mitt Romney Fred Thompson
Party Republican Republican Republican
Home state Arkansas Massachusetts Tennessee
Popular vote 40,954 30,021 15,960
Percentage 34.36% 25.19% 13.39%

 
Nominee John McCain Ron Paul Rudy Giuliani
Party Republican Republican Republican
Home state Arizona Texas New York
Popular vote 15,536 11,841 4,099
Percentage 13.03% 9.93% 3.44%

Election results by county.
  Mike Huckabee
  Mitt Romney
  Ron Paul

The 2008 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses took place on January 3, 2008. The Iowa Republican caucuses are an unofficial primary, with the delegates to the state convention selected proportionally via a straw poll. The Iowa caucuses mark the traditional formal start of the delegate selection process for the 2008 United States presidential election.

Prior to the 2008 caucuses, as in previous election cycles with a competitive presidential race, an unofficial Ames Straw Poll was held, on August 11, 2007. The official one, electing delegates to the state convention, was held on January 3, 2008, the same day as the Democratic contest. In the Ames Straw Poll, Mitt Romney finished first with 32% of the vote. In the January 2008 caucuses, Mike Huckabee finished first with 34% of the vote.

Huckabee's victory in the caucus was credited to his strong performance among evangelical voters, with an exit poll finding that 80% of his voters were evangelicals. Huckabee's victory over his nearest opponent Romney, who outspent him by millions in the state, was considered significant by media outlets.[1]

  1. ^ Sinderbrand, Rebecca (January 5, 2008). "Analysis: Huckabee taps evangelical enthusiasm - CNN.com". CNN. Retrieved April 19, 2023.

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