Whether it deserves the distinction or not, the Iowa Caucus has been elevated to something just shy of virtual kingmaker of American politics. In roughly the last 10 elections, 60 percent to 70 percent of the winners in Iowa presidential primaries go on to earn the nomination of their party. Conversely, no one finishing lower than fourth has ever succeeded. Once the Caucus was moved to the start of the year, Iowa became vital to anyone running for the nation's highest office.
