The Iowa Republican caucuses are an unofficial primary, with the delegates to the state convention selected proportionally via a straw poll.

The Iowa caucuses mark the traditional formal start of the delegate selection process for the 2008 United States presidential election.

Prior to the 2008 caucuses, as in previous election cycles with a competitive presidential race, an unofficial Ames Straw Poll was held, on August 11, 2007.

Huckabee's victory over his nearest opponent Romney, who outspent him by millions in the state, was considered significant by media outlets.

[7] This was primarily a fundraising event for the state's Republican Party, and only Iowa residents who paid the $35 price for a ticket were eligible to vote.

Mitt Romney finished first with 32% of the vote, followed by Mike Huckabee (18%), Sam Brownback (15%), Tom Tancredo (14%), and Ron Paul (10%).

Only three candidates won either pluralities or majorities in individual counties: Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, and Ron Paul.

Tancredo had already withdrawn from the presidential race two weeks earlier and endorsed Romney,[11] but his name remained in the official list of candidates of the Iowa Republican Party.