iowa, it s a mostly rural state in america s heartland is home to just over 3 million people. it s america s third most productive agricultural state, home to the biggest cereal plant in the world and the only state to start with two vow es. it s also ground zero for american presidential politics. do you have any idea which state votes first when it comes to picking a president? i have to be honest, i do not. i thought it was iowa. you re right. don t doubt yourself. iowa goes first because of a scheduling accident. in june 1972, hotel rooms were booked up in des moines when democrats would normally nominate a candidate so the process was just moved earlier. both parties liked being first so much they wrote it into state law. this year, iowa s caucus, february 1 that s why everywhere you look here, there are already presidential candidates. we had rand paul. we saw the trump bus. ben carson. iowa s slogans have included
it s also ground zero for american presidential politics. do you have any idea which state votes first when it comes to picking a president? i have to be honest, i do not. i thought it was iowa. you re right. don t doubt yourself. iowa goes first because of a scheduling accident. in june 1972, hotel rooms were booked up in des moines when democrats would normally nominate a candidate so the process was just moved earlier. both parties liked being first so much they wrote it into state law. this year, iowa s caucus, february 1 that s why everywhere you look here, there are already presidential candidates. we had rand paul. we saw the trump bus. ben carson. iowa s slogans have included both life changing and fields of opportunity, but they don t hold up when it comes to presidential candidates. since iowa moved to first, only three nonincumbent candidates have won the caucus and the presidency. one thing iowa has done a great
you take a map of the united states and fold it in half this way and this way, and it s iowa. where else would you want to be besides in the middle of everything? reporter: how come iowa gets to go first? i have no idea, to be honest. reporter: you want to know? i would love to. reporter: iowa goes first because of a scheduling accident. in june 1972, hotel rooms were booked up in des moines when democrats would normally nominate a candidate so the process was just moved earlier. both parties like the idea of being first so much, they wrote it into state law. this year, iowans caucus, their version of a primary election, february 1st. that s why everywhere you look here, there are already presidential candidates. we had rand paul. the trump bus. carson. reporter: lot of pressure on iowa because you guys got to go first voting. you feel stressed about that? no. not at all. hopefully the rest of the nation follows that. reporter: iowa slogans have included both
you want to know? i would love to. iowa goes first because of a scheduling accident. hotel rooms were booked up in des moines, so the process was moved earlier. both parties liked the idea of being first that they wrote it into state law. this year, iowa caucus is february 1st. that s where everywhere you look, there are presidential candidates. rand paul. we saw the trump bus. lot of pressure on iowa, because you have to go first in voting. you feel stressed about that? not at all. we have a responsibility and hopefully the rest of the nation follows that. iowa slogan s include life-changing and fields of opportunity, but they don t hold up when it comes to presidential candidates. since iowa moved to first, only three non-incumbent candidates have won the caucus and the