Bob Dole's Landslide Victory in Iowa: Shattering the Inevitability of George Bush's Nomination, 1988-02-09

Bob Dole's landslide victory in the Iowa caucuses has shattered the myth of George Bush's inevitable nomination. Dole's message of leadership resonated with voters, while doubts about Bush's leadership strength and the Iran/Contra scandal contributed to his loss. Dole's victory shows that he can win the nomination, but Bush is still the frontrunner. The Bush campaign will try to downplay the significance of Iowa and argue that Dole's victory was due to the state's characteristics. Pat Robertson's second place finish is seen as bringing new people into the party.