How does the Iowa Republican contest differ from the Democratic caucuses?
The Iowa Republican Party conducts a straw vote of those attending the caucuses. Democratic caucus-goers form different groups, with each of the contenders needing to have at least 15 percent of the attendees at each precinct caucus in order to get any delegates from that precinct. How many people take part in the Iowa caucuses? In 2008, more than 227,000 people took part in the Democratic caucuses, up sharply from 122,000 in 2004. Among Republicans, there were around 120,000 caucus-goers, up from 86,000 in 2000, the last time there was a competitive Republican contest in Iowa. How many people vote in the New Hampshire primary? More than 230,000 people voted in the Republican primary on Jan. 8, 2008, while more than 280,000 voted in the Democratic primary. How has New Hampshire proven to be decisive in past elections? Since 1920, New Hampshire has been the first state in the nation to conduct a presidential primary. Its importance dates back to 1952 when Dwight Eisenhower beat Sen.
