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Jan 8, 2008 10:15 pm US/Mountain
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Early States Shine In Race For White House
Good Question: What Makes New Hampshire And Iowa So Important?
DENVER (CBS4) ―
"You have to start somewhere," said one man in downtown Denver.
"I wish Colorado were first," said a woman.
"They're two small states which really shouldn't have the impact that they do but unfortunately we somehow designed a political system that allows for that," said another man.
And he's right.
For years, the business of picking a party's presidential nominees was largely done at the conventions. But that changed after the 1968 elections, says the University of Denver's assistant professor of political science Seth Masket.
Democrats nominated Hubert Humphrey that year, in spite of the fact that he wasn't as anti-Vietnam War as many in the party were. By the 1972 election, the nation had gone from a system of caucuses, state conventions and a smattering of primaries to caucuses and primaries. New Hampshire had been running the nation's earliest primary since 1920.
Few figured out that the first states would become so important.
"Once you had such an explosion of primaries and candidates who could actually win the nomination before the convention even occurred," says Masket, "That's when they started paying that kind of attention to these early contests."
The media covered the early contests as a way to give a picture of how the candidates were doing. Democrat George McGovern had it figured.
"He was one of the first to figure out how the system worked, that it was actually important to pay attention to these early contests," says Masket.
But it wasn't until 1976, when there was a surprisingly strong showing from a relative unknown from Georgia named Jimmy Carter, that the importance of winning early became so meaningful. Carter worked hard on the ground in Iowa, visiting with and talking to people. It paid off. His campaign caught fire.
With combined populations of a little more than 4.3 million - less than Colorado - Iowa and New Hampshire aren't exactly a balanced view of America.
"There are no large cities in either of them. They are somewhat whiter than most other states. Yet the fact that they are small has some advantages to it. It allows for retail politics," says Masket.
That's direct contact with the people.
"The candidates with the most money and the best organization and the best name recognition don't always win there," Masket said.
And that's why the parties have worked to keep them first. This year Michigan was disciplined for moving up. Wyoming held a Republican caucus last weekend and nobody came. It failed to draw candidates.
Iowa and New Hampshire, like it or not have become benchmarks in the early campaign as one man observed.
"In the early stages I guess it gives you guys (the media) some furor to focus on and pay attention to."
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