2008 Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses

2008 Iowa Democratic presidential caucus

← 2004 January 3, 2008 (2008-01-03) 2012 →
NH →
 
Candidate Barack Obama John Edwards Hillary Clinton
Home state Illinois North Carolina New York
Delegate count 16 14 15
SDEs 940 744 737
Percentage (of SDEs) 37.6% 29.7% 29.4%

Caucus results by county
Clinton:      30–40%      40–50%
Obama:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%
Edwards:      30–40%      40–50%      50–60%
Tie:      

The 2008 Iowa Democratic presidential caucus occurred on January 3, and was the state caucuses of the Iowa Democratic Party. It was the first election for the Democrats of the 2008 presidential election. Also referred to as "the First in the Nation Caucus," it was the first election of the primary season on both the Democratic and Republican sides. Of the eight major Democratic presidential candidates, then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois received the most votes and was ultimately declared the winner of the Iowa Democratic Caucus of 2008, making him the first African American to win the caucus[1] and the first African American to win a primary state since Jesse Jackson in 1988. Former U.S. Senator John Edwards of North Carolina came in second place and then-U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton of New York finished third, though Clinton received more delegates than Edwards. Campaigning had begun as early as two years before the event.

As of the 2020 presidential election, this is the last time a non-incumbent candidate, Republican or Democrat, who won Iowa would win their respective party's nomination and become president.

  1. ^ Shepherd, Julianne (January 4, 2008). "Barack Obama Takes Iowa Caucuses; Senator Could Become America's First Black President". Vibe. Archived from the original on February 12, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2008.