IA & NH

Hello,

Well I just finished up my First in the Nation Summer 2007 experience with a trip to Waverly Iowa to visit the Wartburg College campus and meet the other students who were apart of this joint venture. The trip to Iowa was something special, diving right into Iowa politics was a little different than the NH politics I am used too.

A lot of emphasis is put on events like the straw poll, as a lot of emphasis is put on events like that in NH. Though the talking points varied a little bit, more agriculture in Iowa and more Jobs/Economy in NH by the campaigns, the retail politic scene was something I was familiar with. Seeing how much Iowans care about the Iowa Caucus, is a mirror image of how people in NH care about the Primary. Both states' voters take the responsibility of the first in the nation status very seriously, and don't let it go to waste. Politics surround everyday conversations in Iowa and NH, even if it is a little bit early, the discussion takes place every year, even if it isn't an election year.

NH and IA have a unique position to get up close to the candidates, meet them face to face several times in small house parties, and speeches at local schools. The idea of having states like IA and NH first helps the lesser known candidates get more face time in a smaller media market, where it is cheaper to advertise, and cheaper to visit the entire state, than say California.