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Essential question

How do the Iowa caucuses show the impact of political involvement on a local level?

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Monday’s Iowa caucuses ended in an upset for longtime Republican front runner Donald Trump, who came in second to Texas Senator Ted Cruz, and an extremely close win for Hillary Clinton in the Democratic race there. Cruz ultimately took 27.6 percent of the Republican vote compared to Trump’s 24.3 percent. Clinton just barely held off Senator Bernie Sanders, winning 49.9 percent of the Democratic votes compared with Sanders’ 49.6. The Iowa Democratic Party called it the closest race in its caucus history. Each candidate took a portion of the state’s party delegates. Candidates need to win a certain number of delegates to win their party’s nomination to run in the general election, but there are a few steps in the process. Iowa caucus-goers elect county delegates who then elect state-wide delegates to attend the national party convention where nominations take place. Cruz earned eight county delegates in Iowa on Monday while Clinton earned 23. While the results will undoubtedly help the winners’ campaigns, they also brought an end for those who saw little support among Iowa voters. Democratic candidate and former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley ended his presidential campaign before votes were fully counted Monday night and former Arkansas Governor and Republican candidate Mike Huckabee also dropped out. The next primary takes place on Feb. 9 in New Hampshire. Most candidates still in the race have already arrived there to continue the next phase of campaigning.

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Key terms

grassroots –ordinary people that make up the main body of an organization, as contrasted with the established leadership of a political party or social organization anti-establishment – view or belief in which one stands in opposition to the conventional social, political and economic principles of a society progressive – a group, person or idea that favors implementing social reform or new ideas delegate —individuals chosen to represent their states at their party conventions prior to a presidential election

Warm up questions ( before watching the video)

1. What are the Iowa caucuses?


2. Why are they significant during an election year?


3. How does a candidate earn their party’s nomination for president?

Critical thinking questions ( after watching the video)

1. How significant are the Iowa caucuses with regards to predicting the party’s nomination?


2. Why do Republican candidates like Ted Cruz and Donald Trump want to portray themselves as anti-establishment?


3. Will Iowa’s results influence what will happen in New Hampshire on Feb. 9? Why or why not?