What is the significance of Iowa & New Hampshire in the 2008 election?

Answer 1

It is impossible to tell the actual significance until after the fact. These two states will be respectively the first caucus and the first primary in the presidential nomination process.

In the past, what has mattered is not necessarily winning these states but being able to claim a victory by exceeding expectations. Candidates who come out of the pack to claim second and third place in these states have frequently become serious contenders for president.

For some context, in 2000, George W. Bush won in Iowa but lost in New Hampshire. In 1992, Bill Clinton won neither state. In 1980, Ronald Reagan lost in Iowa but won in New Hampshire.

The bottom line is that these two states do not pick the winner of the contest. They merely pick the candidates who will drop out of the race.

Answer 2

states that lead with either primary or caucuses set the early direction and give the country, via the press, of who is IN THE LEAD. These two states are USUALLY first, and with other states seeing how much they influenced past election results, many states now want to be first or second. Some want to move their primaries into early to mid January, and there is even a rumor that some one state may hold theirs in December, 2007, all to attract the biggest press coverage and candidates spending the most money there because these results stay stuck in the minds of voters in later primary states. The bigger the perception of a state's influence (early) the more money is spent by the press and the candidates to get noticed.

Answer 3

As in previous elections these two states hold their selection of delegates to the political conventions first. So--candidates who fare well become front-runners. And like any race, beig fast at the start gives you a big advantage.

As a result, Iowa and NH are particularly important in the process of selecting which of the candidates in each party will ultimately get the nomination of theier party.

Answer 4

by way of fact they have their established or caucus first, so they're the 1st to vote. First outcomes are super information. New Hampshire's shape says they might desire to have the 1st established in the country. i've got constantly questioned what might take place if another state placed an identical situation of their shape....