If you tuned into most news stations Tuesday night you probably saw pollsters and pundits discussing the Iowa caucuses for the Republican presidential nominee. Whether or not you follow politics at all, here is a rundown of the candidates and the results of the night.
Mitt Romney won by a mere eight votes after a heated back-and-forth race with dark horse Rick Santorum. Libertarian Ron Paul was a close third. The next tier included Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry, and Michele Bachmann, who came in fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively. Jon Huntsman’s low numbers can be explained by his decision to not campaign in Iowa and focus on New Hampshire’s primary, which takes place Jan. 10. Results are shown below.
Candidate | Total Votes | Percentage |
Mitt Romney | 30,015 | 24.6% |
Rick Santorum | 30,007 | 24.5% |
Ron Paul | 26,219 | 21.4% |
Newt Gingrich | 16,251 | 13.3% |
Rick Perry | 12,604 | 10.3% |
Michele Bachmann | 6,073 | 5% |
Jon Huntsman | 745 | 0.6% |
Candidate Bios
Mitt Romney: former Governor of Massachusetts, successful businessman; ran for president in 2008; widely considered to be the frontrunner of the Republican field; Mormon; controversy over Massachusetts health care law passed during his term.
Rick Santorum: former U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania; outspoken social conservative; Roman Catholic; visited all 99 counties in Iowa, experienced surge in popularity right before Iowa caucus.
Ron Paul: Congressman from Texas; libertarian philosophy; Baptist; small but passionate core of supporters.
Newt Gingrich: former Speaker of the House; idea-oriented, intellectual; fiery speaker; converted to Catholicism in 2008; married three times
Rick Perry: Governor of Texas; currently the longest continuously serving governor; Tea Party appeal; Methodist; received criticism for extending in-state tuition benefits to undocumented immigrants
Michele Bachmann: Congresswoman from Minnesota; Tea Party support; Lutheran; born in Iowa; suspended presidential campaign after 6th place finish in Iowa
Jon Huntsman: former U.S. Ambassador to China and former Governor of Utah; Mormon; criticized for views on evolution and global warming; only candidate who has not signed Grover Norquist’s no-tax pledge.
[polldaddy poll=5818429]
Photo: Ya-Chen Chen (IowaWatch.org)