Iowa Republican caucuses, 2000
Encyclopedia
The 2000 Iowa Republican caucuses took place on January 24, 2000. The Iowa Republican caucuses are an unofficial primary, with the delegates to the state convention selected proportionally via a straw poll
. The Iowa caucuses marked the traditional formal start of the delegate selection process for the 2000 United States presidential election
.
Prior to the 2000 caucuses, as in previous election cycles with a competitive presidential race, an unofficial Ames Straw Poll
was held, on August 14, 1999. The official one, electing delegates to the state convention, was held on January 24, 2000, the same day as the Democratic contest
. In the Ames Straw Poll
, George W. Bush
finished first with 31% of the vote. In the January 2000 caucuses, Bush again finished first with 41% of the vote.
does not use voting rounds or have minimum requirements for a percent of votes. The Republican version is done with a straw vote of those attending the caucus. This vote is sometimes done by a show of hands or by dividing themselves into groups according to candidate. However, officially it is done with voters receiving a blank piece of paper with no names on it, and the voter writing a name and placing it in a ballot box.
Following the straw poll, delegates are then elected from the remaining participants in the room, as most voters leave once their vote is cast. All delegates are officially considered unbound, but media outlets either apportion delegates proportionally or apportion them in terms of winner-take-all by counties. In precincts that elect only one delegate, the delegate is chosen by majority vote and the vote must be by paper ballot. The state party strongly urges that delegates reflect the results of the preference poll, but there is no obligation that they do so.
was held at Iowa State University
(Ames)'s Hilton Coliseum
on August 14, 2000. This was primarily a fundraising event for the state's Republican Party
, and only Iowa residents who paid the $25 price for a ticket were eligible to vote. Tickets were available through the various presidential campaigns and the Iowa Republican Party's headquarters.
In general, the candidates bought large blocks of tickets and gave them out for free to whoever agreed to go and vote for that candidate. The candidates also rented buses to transport voters to Ames.
George W. Bush
finished first with 31% of the vote, followed by Steve Forbes
(21%), Elizabeth Dole
(14%), and Gary Bauer
(9%). Eight other candidates shared the remaining 25% of the vote.
Three candidates won majorities or pluralities in the individual counties: George W. Bush, Steve Forbes, and Gary Bauer. The McCain campaign chose to skip the Iowa caucuses and instead campaign in New Hampshire, where McCain would win a landslide victory eight days later.
Straw poll
A straw poll or straw vote is a vote with nonbinding results. Straw polls provide dialogue among movements within large groups, reflecting trends like organization and motivation...
. The Iowa caucuses marked the traditional formal start of the delegate selection process for the 2000 United States presidential election
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
.
Prior to the 2000 caucuses, as in previous election cycles with a competitive presidential race, an unofficial Ames Straw Poll
Ames Straw Poll
The Ames Straw Poll is a presidential straw poll taken by Iowa Republicans. It occurs in Ames, Iowa on the campus of Iowa State University, on a Saturday in August of years in an election cycle in which the Republican presidential nomination seems to be undecided...
was held, on August 14, 1999. The official one, electing delegates to the state convention, was held on January 24, 2000, the same day as the Democratic contest
Iowa Democratic caucuses, 2000
In the United States, the 2000 Iowa Democratic caucuses were the first major test of the leading contenders for the Democratic Party's nomination as its candidate for the 2000 presidential election.-Candidates:...
. In the Ames Straw Poll
Ames Straw Poll
The Ames Straw Poll is a presidential straw poll taken by Iowa Republicans. It occurs in Ames, Iowa on the campus of Iowa State University, on a Saturday in August of years in an election cycle in which the Republican presidential nomination seems to be undecided...
, George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
finished first with 31% of the vote. In the January 2000 caucuses, Bush again finished first with 41% of the vote.
January 2000 procedure
Unlike the Democratic caucus, the Republican PartyRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
does not use voting rounds or have minimum requirements for a percent of votes. The Republican version is done with a straw vote of those attending the caucus. This vote is sometimes done by a show of hands or by dividing themselves into groups according to candidate. However, officially it is done with voters receiving a blank piece of paper with no names on it, and the voter writing a name and placing it in a ballot box.
Following the straw poll, delegates are then elected from the remaining participants in the room, as most voters leave once their vote is cast. All delegates are officially considered unbound, but media outlets either apportion delegates proportionally or apportion them in terms of winner-take-all by counties. In precincts that elect only one delegate, the delegate is chosen by majority vote and the vote must be by paper ballot. The state party strongly urges that delegates reflect the results of the preference poll, but there is no obligation that they do so.
The Ames Straw Poll
The 2000 Ames straw pollAmes Straw Poll
The Ames Straw Poll is a presidential straw poll taken by Iowa Republicans. It occurs in Ames, Iowa on the campus of Iowa State University, on a Saturday in August of years in an election cycle in which the Republican presidential nomination seems to be undecided...
was held at Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
(Ames)'s Hilton Coliseum
Hilton Coliseum
James H. Hilton Coliseum is a 14,356-seat multi-purpose arena in Ames, Iowa. The arena opened in 1971. It is home to the Iowa State University Cyclones men's and women's basketball teams, wrestling, gymnastics and volleyball teams.-Overview:...
on August 14, 2000. This was primarily a fundraising event for the state's Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and only Iowa residents who paid the $25 price for a ticket were eligible to vote. Tickets were available through the various presidential campaigns and the Iowa Republican Party's headquarters.
In general, the candidates bought large blocks of tickets and gave them out for free to whoever agreed to go and vote for that candidate. The candidates also rented buses to transport voters to Ames.
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
finished first with 31% of the vote, followed by Steve Forbes
Steve Forbes
Malcolm Stevenson "Steve" Forbes, Jr. is an American editor, publisher, and businessman. He is the editor-in-chief of business magazine Forbes as well as president and chief executive officer of its publisher, Forbes Inc. He was a Republican candidate in the U.S. Presidential primaries in 1996...
(21%), Elizabeth Dole
Elizabeth Dole
Mary Elizabeth Alexander Hanford "Liddy" Dole is an American politician who served in both the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush presidential administrations, as well as a United States Senator....
(14%), and Gary Bauer
Gary Bauer
Gary Lee Bauer is an American politician notable for his ties to several evangelical Christian groups and campaigns.-Biography:...
(9%). Eight other candidates shared the remaining 25% of the vote.
Results of the January 2000 caucuses
| Candidate | Votes | Percentage | Delegates |
|---|---|---|---|
| George W. Bush George W. Bush George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000.... |
35,948 | 40.99% | 10 |
| Steve Forbes Steve Forbes Malcolm Stevenson "Steve" Forbes, Jr. is an American editor, publisher, and businessman. He is the editor-in-chief of business magazine Forbes as well as president and chief executive officer of its publisher, Forbes Inc. He was a Republican candidate in the U.S. Presidential primaries in 1996... |
26,744 | 30.50% | 8 |
| Alan Keyes Alan Keyes Alan Lee Keyes is an American conservative political activist, author, former diplomat, and perennial candidate for public office. A doctoral graduate of Harvard University, Keyes began his diplomatic career in the U.S... |
12,496 | 14.24% | 4 |
| Gary Bauer Gary Bauer Gary Lee Bauer is an American politician notable for his ties to several evangelical Christian groups and campaigns.-Biography:... |
7,487 | 8.53% | 2 |
| John McCain John McCain John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election.... |
4,093 | 4.67% | 1 |
| Orrin Hatch Orrin Hatch Orrin Grant Hatch is the senior United States Senator for Utah and is a member of the Republican Party. Hatch served as the chairman or ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1993 to 2005... |
898 | 1.02% | 0 |
| Total | 87,666 | 100% | 25 |
Three candidates won majorities or pluralities in the individual counties: George W. Bush, Steve Forbes, and Gary Bauer. The McCain campaign chose to skip the Iowa caucuses and instead campaign in New Hampshire, where McCain would win a landslide victory eight days later.
See also
- Iowa caucuses
- Iowa Democratic caucuses, 2000Iowa Democratic caucuses, 2000In the United States, the 2000 Iowa Democratic caucuses were the first major test of the leading contenders for the Democratic Party's nomination as its candidate for the 2000 presidential election.-Candidates:...
- Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2000Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2000The 2000 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2000 U.S. presidential election. Governor of Texas George W...