Status Quo Upended as Obama, Huckabee Win in Iowa

By Anastacia Mott Austin

The established frontrunners going into the Iowa caucuses this week received a message loud and clear: America wants change.

Solid Democratic candidate leader Hillary Clinton did not sweep the caucus as some had predicted. In fact, she came in third, right behind John Edwards. Other political experts had rightly predicted a tight race for both parties, in the most undecided Presidential nominating process in many years.

The surprise winner of the evening, and by a large margin, was Barack Obama (D-Ill), who rose to the top of the heap, winning 38% of the total votes.

Following him in second place with 30% of the votes was John Edwards, closely followed by Clinton with 29%. Bill Richardson came in a distant 4th place with 2% of the total votes.

For Republicans, Mitt Romney’s big dollar commitment to Iowa didn’t pan out, as he lost to Mike Huckabee’s 34% win. Romney came in second place with 25%. Fred Thompson and John McCain rounded out the top four Republicans, tying at 3rd place with 13% of the votes each. Ron Paul is still kicking at 10% of total votes.

Hillary Clinton’s camp issued polite congratulations to Obama and Edwards, trying to lump herself with their message of change, saying "I congratulate Senator Obama and Senator Edwards. Together we have presented the case for change."

No so much, says the Obama camp. Eager to separate himself from Hillary’s establishment ties, Obama has made pointed references to a Clinton leadership belonging in the past. Obama also sought to praise a predominantly white voter base in Iowa for being willing to overlook his racial background and focus instead on his message. "This was the moment when we tore down barriers that have divided us for too long," said Obama to the crowd during one of his speeches. "When we finally united people of all parties and ages."

More than half of all caucus voters were there for the first time, reflecting Obama’s strength with younger voters and people wanting change. Clinton came out ahead with older voters and those more concerned with candidate experience.

As for Huckabee, the former governor from Arkansas managed to emerge the victor despite Romney’s outspending him in Iowa 20-to-1, and a two-week negative ad blitz by the Romney campaign.

"Tonight, what we have seen is a new day in American politics," said Huckabee to crowds of supporters. "People really are more important than the purse. What a great lesson for America to learn. ... It wasn't about who raised the most money."

Huckabee needed a solid win in Iowa to win the support of big GOP donors, say experts, and his campaign could use the infusion of dollars.

Rudy Guiliani finished a disappointing 6th place, with only 4% of the total votes, coming in behind popular and controversial constitutionalist Ron Paul, who garnered 10%. Both Guilani and Paul say they’re hanging in there and staying in the race, at least for now.

Democratic senators Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, however, have decided to hang up their hats and call it a day, with disappointing finishes for both of them in Iowa. Supporters of Biden and Dodd will likely be divided now between Obama and Edwards.

Now the remaining candidates are already gearing up for the next big vote, the upcoming New Hampshire primary on January 8th, and you can bet that the messages they’ll be sending out will have to do with how they plan to effect change should they make it to the White House.

As John Edwards pointed out, "The one thing that’s clear from this result here tonight is that the status quo lost and change won."