The tables below contain the Iowa Caucus results for 2008 and 2012 and the General Election results for those same years.
Support for representatives of "libertarian" policies increased greatly. Support for Republican representatives also grew. Support for Democrat representatives shrank but maintained a majority of total votes cast.
Vote Count Compared to Total State Population
Contest
|
Total Vote
Count 2008
|
Total Vote
Count 2012
|
Difference
2008 to 2012
|
Voter Turnout As % of
Estimated State Population
|
|||
% Change
|
2008
|
2012
|
% Diff
|
||||
Iowa Caucus
|
118,917
|
121,501
|
2,584
|
+ 2.17 %
|
3.96 %
|
3.97 %
|
+ 0.01 %
|
General Election
|
1,537,123
|
1,555,570
|
18,447
|
+ 1.20 %
|
51.19 %
|
50.80 %
|
- 0.40 %
|
Iowa Republican Caucus 2008 and 2012
Candidate
|
2008 Republican Caucus
|
2012 Republican Caucus
|
Difference
2008 to 2012
|
|||
Count
|
% of Total
|
Count
|
% of Total
|
% Change
|
||
Ron Paul
|
11,841
|
9.96 %
|
26,036
|
21.43 %
|
+ 14,195
|
+ 119.88
%
|
Mitt Romney
|
30,021
|
25.25 %
|
29,805
|
24.53 %
|
- 216
|
- 0.72
%
|
Rick Santorum
|
-
|
-
|
29,839
|
24.56 %
|
-
|
-
|
Mike Huckabee
|
40,954
|
34.44 %
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Iowa General Election 2008 and 2012
Party
|
2008 General Election
|
2012 General Election
|
Difference
2008 to 2012
|
|||
Count
|
% of Total
|
Count
|
% of Total
|
% Change
|
||
Libertarian
|
4,590
|
0.30%
|
12,759
|
0.82%
|
+ 8,169
|
+
177.97 %
|
Republican
|
682,379
|
44.39%
|
722,754
|
46.38%
|
+ 40,375
|
+ 5.92
%
|
Write-In
|
6,737
|
0.44%
|
6,840
|
0.44%
|
+ 103
|
+ 1.53
%
|
Democrat
|
828,940
|
53.93%
|
807,394
|
51.81%
|
- 21,546
|
- 2.60
%
|
Analysis
Between 2008 and 2012, the total number of votes in these contests when compared to total state population remained relatively similar, however the change in percent of total vote (% Change) changed substantially for representatives of some groups.
For the Iowa Republican Caucus, between 2008 and 2012 Ron Paul had the greatest increase in number of votes (Count) and in change in number of votes (% Change). The only other candidate to compete in those same contests was Mitt Romney who received 216 fewer votes in 2012 than he did in 2008 (note: Romney did not actively campaign in Iowa for either Caucus).
For the Iowa General Election, between 2008 and 2012 the Republican Party had the greatest increase in number of votes (Count) and percent of total votes (% of Total), however the Libertarian Party had the greatest increase in change in number of votes (% Change).
For the Libertarian Party this trend was also seen nationally. The Libertarian Party received a total of 1,195,306 votes nationally, which was an increase of 128.24 % over 2008 and an increase of 200.88 % over 2004. Nationally, the change in number of votes (% Change) for the Libertarian Party has varied greatly since 1972 (the first General Election after its founding in 1971) however this election marked the longest sustained increase in percent of total votes (% of Total) the party has received.
Sources:
http://uselectionatlas.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election_in_Iowa,_2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_Republican_caucuses,_2012
http://sos.iowa.gov/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_Party_(United_States)
