Sophia Villareal
With the 2020 presidential election approaching, numerous candidates have already set their sights on one state in particular: Iowa. But the question posed by the excessive interest in this seemingly uninteresting state is: why?
Before diving into this, it is important to understand the caucus system. Essentially voters gather in buildings like gyms and auditorium. Your group of voters is known as a caucus. Your caucus needs to pass the fifteen percent threshold or else, voters will begin to go with another candidate.
In order to understand this, we must explore why it is important to the candidates specifically. Historically, if you, the candidate, did well in the Iowa causcas, you had a better shot at the presidency further down the line. In 2008, former president Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton in Iowa and thus took the presidency. George Bush also prevailed in Iowa and thus won the election. This is obviously known to the candidates, so it is important to many candidates that they do well. Candidates restructure and focus on success in Iowa such as Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Amy Klobachar.
The speech is a huge part of the caucus. For example, historically the speech can change the trajectory of your candidacy which has been seen from candidates such as Barack Obama. The caucus is seen by the candidates as a way to gain notoriety. It is an opportunity for a less notable candidate like Bill Steyer to gain notoriety that other candidates possess like Joe Biden.
Iowa only makes up 1% of delegates in the nation but the vote is so important because it is the first caucus in the long series of many. This, mixed with historical patterns, means that success in Iowa will provide momentum for the candidates.
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