Opinion: New poll: Iowans ‘had fun’ in their caucuses

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At last, the news we’ve all been waiting for. A new University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll just out has discovered that fully 86% of Iowans ‘had fun’ during their recent caucuses.

Really. Isn’t that wonderful?

According to a university news release, ‘Despite the chaos of a record turnout, long lines and crowded rooms, Iowans had fun at their caucuses on Jan. 3.’

It’s just so heartwarming to know that what the rest of us thought for so many months had something to do with choosing party nominees for president of the United States was, for a very large majority of the quarter-million Iowans who caucused, actually a whole lot of fun. Kind of like those summer fairs with the hog contests and that cow butter-carving that we heard so much about when politicians were working the sticky-handed crowds eating everything conceivable fried.

The random telephone poll of 306 Democratic and 223 Republican caucus-goers between Jan. 5-10 found, according to David Redlawsk, poll director: ‘Iowans didn’t caucus just for the fun of it, but most seem to have discovered the fun factor in caucusing.’

It was the first caucus for 46% of those surveyed, many of whom said they caucused to oppose one candidate rather than support one. Across parties, an overwhelming number (95%) said they attended because it was the ‘right thing to do,’ 89% came to support a candidate, 69% to support their party, 40% to support a particular issue, 27% to oppose a candidate and 19% because someone asked them to go.

While 86% reported having fun, only 26% listed fun as their reason for going.

Oh, and despite their more complex, often chaotic voting procedures, more Democrats (88%) reported ‘having fun’ than Republicans (83%). Come to think of it, the Iowa caucuses, which seem like only a year ago, were just a whole lot of fun too for the rest of us to read about. And without the ice and snow.

-- Andrew Malcolm