Iowa Caucus Results Good News for Washington Voters

The results of Thursday’s Iowa caucuses were good news for the Washington voter who wants to have a say in the selection of the presidential nominees, according to Travis Ridout, assistant professor of political science at Washington State University. Mike Huckabee’s victory and Mitt Romney’s disappointing second-place finish mean that the Republican race remains without a clear front-runner.  Likewise, Barack Obama’s victory in Iowa ends the idea that the Democratic nomination process will be a coronation of Hillary Clinton.  Ridout said that because both parties’ races are still wide open, there remains a chance that Washington voters will have true choices when they caucus on Feb. 9.

Ridout’s research areas include the presidential primary process and the impact of political advertising. He can be reached at 509/335-2264 or tnridout@wsu.edu.