I think the people are misinterpreting the Iowa caucus. With the exception of one, there has been no other candidates since 1976 that have won Iowa and have gone on to be the party’s nominee.
And that does include President Ronald Reagan who came in second place in Iowa to George H.W. Bush. Only George W. Bush came in first in Iowa and went on to be the party’s nominee.
Iowa is a Democrat state that has a horrible time selecting Republican Presidential Candidates. But now the conventional wisdom will be on New Hampshire, and Huckabee’s record will become a factor very soon.
The Huckster has already decreed that any examination of his record will be called “negative campaigning”.
I thought Dole won Iowa. He won the nomination, not the general.