How long has our primary system had its current form? Esp. with Iowa/NH being first etc.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

Any good websites outlining the evolution of the current system?

Is it true that the "superdelegate" thing was put in place in the 70's?

[shraby]

1. Don't know when it started, but growing up

I can remember the phrase "So Maine goes, so goes the nation"

[CorpGovActivist]

2. 1960 Was a Watershed Year

I could rec some great books from college days.

- Dave

[LonePirate]

3. There's something to be said for tradition

But there's also something to be said for progress. IA and NH wield far too much influence in the primary process. I'd much prefer to see alternating super primaries representing the four regions of the country (Northeast, Midwest, South and West) where all states in that region hold their primaries (not caucuses but primaries) on the same day. While this system may not be perfect, it's definitely more fair and representative to the rest of the nation.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. All the time I was growing up, New Hampshire was the biggie

Hardly anyone knew that Iowa had an early caucus until 1988, when Pat Robertson won on the Republican side in 1988.

This was such an unexpected outcome that it made national headlines. Even though Robertson's campaign went nowhere (whew!), the news media all made a mad dash for Iowa in 1992, hoping to be the first to report a new upset.

So Iowa's prominence is a relatively recent phenomenon.

The phrase "As Maine goes, so goes the nation" refers to the tendency of Maine to vote the same as the nation as a whole.