The 2016 United States presidential election in Iowa was held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, as part of the 2016 United States presidential election in which all 50 states plus the District of Columbia participated. Iowa voters chose electors to represent them in the Electoral College via a popular vote, pitting the Republican Party's nominee, businessman Donald Trump, and his running mate Indiana Governor Mike Pence against the Democratic Party nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and her running mate Virginia Senator Tim Kaine. Iowa has six electoral votes in the Electoral College.
Trump won the state with 51.15% of the vote, while Clinton received 41.74% (a margin of 9.41%). Clinton's performance in Iowa was the worst performance for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1980. Trump, besides being the first Republican to carry the state since George W. Bush in 2004, won over a dozen counties that had not voted Republican since Ronald Reagan was on the ticket; won two counties that had last voted Republican in Richard Nixon's landslide victory in 1972; and also won Dubuque County, which had last voted Republican in 1956.
In 2016, Trump carried Iowa by the largest margin of any Republican candidate since Reagan in 1980, and he was the first Republican to win an outright majority of the state's vote since Reagan's historic 1984 landslide. Trump enjoyed the support of working-class whites in the agricultural industry, as well as the endorsement of Iowa's GOP establishment. Trump later carried the state by 13% in 2024, surpassing Reagan's margin in 1980.
Caucuses
The incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, a Democrat and former U.S. Senator from Illinois, was first elected to the presidency in 2008, running with U.S. Senator Joe Biden of Delaware. Defeating the Republican nominee, Senator John McCain of Arizona, with 52.9% of the popular vote and 68% of the electoral vote, Obama succeeded two-term Republican President George W. Bush, the former Governor of Texas. Obama and Biden were reelected in the 2012 presidential election, defeating former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney with 51.1% of the popular vote and 61.7% of electoral votes. Although Barack Obama's approval rating in the RealClearPolitics poll tracking average remained between 40 and 50 percent for most of his second term, it experienced a surge in early 2016 and reached its highest point since 2012 during June of that year. Analyst Nate Cohn noted that a strong approval rating for President Obama would equate to a strong performance for the Democratic candidate, and vice versa.
President Obama was not eligible to be re-elected after having served two terms. Obama's running-mate and two-term Vice President Biden decided not to enter the race for the Democratic presidential nomination either.
Democratic caucuses
Procedure
There is no ballot; instead, a unique form of debate and groupings chose delegates to county conventions supporting Hillary Clinton, Martin O'Malley, and Bernie Sanders. The Iowa Democratic Party does not release vote counts or the numbers of these delegates.
County Conventions In early March, the delegates chosen in the Caucuses met chose delegates to the Congressional District Conventions.
Republican caucuses
General election
Polling
Up until late August 2016, the election was close, with both Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton winning polls but neither taking a serious lead. In September 2016, Trump gained momentum, by winning a poll 44% to 39% in early September and then winning 3 more polls in a row by margins larger than 5%. From late September 2016 until election day, Trump won every poll but one. The final poll average showed Donald Trump ahead 44% to 41%, with many undecided voters that mostly swung to Donald Trump on election night. The latest poll also showed Trump ahead by 46% to 39%.
Predictions SourceRankingAs ofCNNNovember 4, 2016Cook Political ReportNovember 7, 2016Electoral-vote.comNovember 8, 2016NBCNovember 7, 2016RealClearPoliticsNovember 7, 2016 Rothenberg Political Report November 7, 2016Sabato's Crystal BallNovember 7, 2016
Results
2016 United States presidential election in IowaPartyCandidateRunning mateVotesPercentageElectoral votes Republican Donald Trump Mike Pence 800,983 51.15% 6 Democratic Hillary Clinton Tim Kaine 653,669 41.74% 0 Libertarian Gary Johnson Bill Weld 59,186 3.78% 0 Write-in Various Various 17,746 1.13% 0 Independent Evan McMullin Nathan Johnson 12,366 0.79% 0 Green Jill Stein Ajamu Baraka 11,479 0.73% 0 Constitution Darrell L. Castle Scott N. Bradley 5,335 0.34% 0 New Independent Lynn Kahn Jay Stolba 2,247 0.14% 0 Legal Marijuana Now Dan Vacek Mark Elworth 2,246 0.14% 0 Independent Rocky De La Fuente Michael Steinberg 451 0.03% 0 Socialism and Liberation Gloria La Riva Dennis J. Banks 323 0.02% 0 Totals 1,566,031 100.00% 6 Voter turnout (Voting age population) 72.0% Source: Iowa Secretary of State
By county CountyDonald TrumpRepublicanHillary ClintonDemocraticVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal#%#%#%#%Adair2,46164.58%1,13329.73%2175.69%1,32834.85%3,811Adams1,39566.24%56526.83%1466.93%83039.41%2,106Allamakee4,09359.12%2,42134.97%4095.91%1,67224.15%6,923Appanoose4,03365.73%1,81429.56%2894.71%2,21936.17%6,136Audubon2,13662.60%1,08031.65%1965.75%1,05630.95%3,412Benton8,23259.46%4,67833.79%9346.75%3,55425.67%13,844Black Hawk27,47642.66%32,23350.05%4,6967.29%-4,757-7.39%64,405Boone7,48452.72%5,54139.03%1,1718.25%1,94313.69%14,196Bremer7,20853.24%5,35639.56%9747.20%1,85213.68%13,538Buchanan5,51053.75%3,97038.72%7727.53%1,54015.03%10,252Buena Vista4,90359.23%2,85634.50%5196.27%2,04724.73%8,278Butler4,92165.50%2,15728.71%4355.79%2,76436.79%7,513Calhoun3,46867.22%1,39827.10%2935.68%2,07040.12%5,159Carroll6,63862.96%3,30931.38%5975.66%3,32931.58%10,544Cass4,76166.82%1,95127.38%4135.80%2,81039.44%7,125Cedar5,29555.50%3,59937.72%6476.78%1,69617.78%9,541Cerro Gordo11,62150.60%9,86242.94%1,4826.46%1,7597.66%22,965Cherokee4,19266.99%1,67926.83%3876.18%2,51340.16%6,258Chickasaw3,74258.15%2,26635.21%4276.64%1,47622.94%6,435Clarke2,71360.91%1,46532.89%2766.20%1,24828.02%4,454Clay5,87768.20%2,24926.10%4915.70%3,62842.10%8,617Clayton5,31758.24%3,23735.46%5756.30%2,08022.78%9,129Clinton11,27648.88%10,09543.76%1,6967.36%1,1815.12%23,067Crawford4,61766.58%1,99128.71%3274.71%2,62637.87%6,935Dallas19,33950.56%15,70141.05%3,2128.39%3,6389.51%38,252Davis2,72370.14%97725.17%1824.69%1,74644.97%3,882Decatur2,29661.49%1,20132.16%2376.35%1,09529.33%3,734Delaware5,69461.62%2,95732.00%5906.38%2,73729.62%9,241Des Moines9,52949.88%8,21242.99%1,3627.13%1,3176.89%19,103Dickinson6,75365.22%3,05629.52%5455.26%3,69735.70%10,354Dubuque23,46047.18%22,85045.96%3,4116.86%6101.22%49,721Emmet3,12465.73%1,35728.55%2725.72%1,76737.18%4,753Fayette5,62056.34%3,68936.98%6666.68%1,93119.36%9,975Floyd4,37554.28%3,17939.44%5066.28%1,19614.84%8,060Franklin3,16363.67%1,49330.05%3126.28%1,67033.62%4,968Fremont2,40766.95%96326.79%2256.26%1,44440.16%3,595Greene2,82058.49%1,69135.08%3106.43%1,12923.41%4,821Grundy4,52765.88%1,85627.01%4897.11%2,67138.87%6,872Guthrie3,62863.10%1,73230.12%3906.78%1,89632.98%5,750Hamilton4,46358.01%2,72635.43%5056.56%1,73722.58%7,694Hancock3,97767.74%1,58727.03%3075.23%2,39040.71%5,871Hardin5,25461.57%2,78732.66%4925.77%2,46728.91%8,533Harrison4,90265.67%2,13128.55%4325.78%2,77137.12%7,465Henry5,77961.45%2,90430.88%7217.67%2,87530.57%9,404Howard2,61157.27%1,67736.78%2715.95%93420.49%4,559Humboldt3,56870.14%1,25224.61%2675.25%2,31645.53%5,087Ida2,65573.50%79221.93%1654.57%1,86351.57%3,612Iowa5,20558.46%3,08434.64%6156.90%2,12123.82%8,904Jackson5,82456.49%3,83737.22%6496.29%1,98719.27%10,310Jasper10,56055.48%7,10937.35%1,3657.17%3,45118.13%19,034Jefferson3,74845.95%3,71045.49%6988.56%380.46%8,156Johnson21,04427.35%50,20065.25%5,6967.40%-29,156-37.90%76,940Jones5,72056.45%3,78737.37%6266.18%1,93319.08%10,133Keokuk3,39068.00%1,34226.92%2535.08%2,04841.08%4,985Kossuth5,65365.68%2,54329.55%4114.77%3,11036.13%8,607Lee8,80354.50%6,21538.48%1,1337.02%2,58816.02%16,151Linn48,39041.32%58,93550.33%9,7738.35%-10,545-9.01%117,098Louisa3,06961.28%1,64832.91%2915.81%1,42128.37%5,008Lucas2,87766.08%1,23928.46%2385.46%1,63837.62%4,354Lyon5,19281.42%92014.43%2654.15%4,27266.99%6,377Madison5,36062.07%2,67831.01%5986.92%2,68231.06%8,636Mahaska7,43269.90%2,61924.63%5815.47%4,81345.27%10,632Marion10,96261.53%5,48230.77%1,3727.70%5,48030.76%17,816Marshall9,14650.87%7,65242.56%1,1826.57%1,4948.31%17,980Mills5,06765.82%2,09027.15%5417.03%2,97738.67%7,698Mitchell3,19058.89%1,88834.85%3396.26%1,30224.04%5,417Monona3,12068.24%1,24727.27%2054.49%1,87340.97%4,572Monroe2,63868.25%1,05627.32%1714.43%1,58240.93%3,865Montgomery3,43668.12%1,31426.05%2945.83%2,12242.07%5,044Muscatine9,58449.32%8,36843.06%1,4827.62%1,2166.26%19,434O'Brien5,75277.67%1,31517.76%3394.57%4,43759.91%7,406Osceola2,53178.77%55217.18%1304.05%1,97961.59%3,213Page4,89369.46%1,80725.65%3444.89%3,08643.81%7,044Palo Alto3,08165.51%1,39829.73%2244.76%1,68335.78%4,703Plymouth9,68073.39%2,88521.87%6254.74%6,79551.52%13,190Pocahontas2,70269.91%96324.92%2005.17%1,73944.99%3,865Polk93,49240.38%119,80451.74%18,2597.88%-26,312-11.36%231,555Pottawattamie24,44757.28%15,35535.98%2,8786.74%9,09221.30%42,680Poweshiek4,94650.30%4,30443.77%5835.93%6426.53%9,833Ringgold1,82467.38%75327.82%1304.80%1,07139.56%2,707Sac3,70371.05%1,27024.37%2394.58%2,43346.68%5,212Scott39,14945.41%40,44046.90%6,6317.69%-1,291-1.49%86,220Shelby4,36268.48%1,66226.09%3465.43%2,70042.39%6,370Sioux14,78581.26%2,30012.64%1,1096.10%12,48568.62%18,194Story19,45838.40%25,70950.74%5,50010.86%-6,251-12.34%50,667Tama4,97156.80%3,19636.52%5856.68%1,77520.28%8,752Taylor2,11169.69%75825.02%1605.29%1,35344.67%3,029Union3,52560.44%1,92232.96%3856.60%1,60327.48%5,832Van Buren2,52770.96%84523.73%1895.31%1,68247.23%3,561Wapello8,71557.53%5,59436.93%8405.54%3,12120.60%15,149Warren14,81454.26%10,41138.14%2,0757.60%4,40316.12%27,300Washington6,17356.48%3,94336.08%8137.44%2,23020.40%10,929Wayne2,06970.37%71924.46%1525.17%1,35045.91%2,940Webster10,05657.69%6,30536.17%1,0696.14%3,75121.52%17,430Winnebago3,44759.56%1,93133.37%4097.07%1,51626.19%5,787Winneshiek5,34447.03%5,25446.24%7646.73%900.79%11,362Woodbury24,72756.56%16,21037.08%2,7816.36%8,51719.48%43,718Worth2,45357.62%1,53035.94%2746.44%92321.68%4,257Wright3,80063.06%1,89631.46%3305.48%1,90431.60%6,026Totals800,98351.15%653,66941.74%111,3797.11%147,3149.41%1,566,031
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Allamakee (largest city: Waukon) Boone (largest city: Boone) Bremer (largest city: Waverly) Buchanan (largest city: Independence) Cedar (largest city: Tipton) Cerro Gordo (largest city: Mason City) Chickasaw (largest city: New Hampton) Clarke (largest city: Osceola) Clayton (largest city: Guttenberg) Clinton (largest city: Clinton) Des Moines (largest city: Burlington) Dubuque (largest city: Dubuque) Fayette (largest city: Oelwein) Floyd (largest city: Charles City) Howard (largest city: Cresco) Jackson (largest city: Maquoketa) Jasper (largest city: Newton) Jefferson (largest city: Fairfield) Jones (largest city: Anamosa) Lee (largest city: Fort Madison) Louisa (largest city: Wapello) Marshall (largest city: Marshalltown) Mitchell (largest city: Osage) Muscatine (largest city: Muscatine) Poweshiek (largest city: Grinnell) Tama (largest city: Tama) Union (largest city: Creston) Wapello (largest city: Ottumwa) Webster (largest city: Fort Dodge) Winneshiek (largest city: Decorah) Woodbury (largest city: Sioux City) Worth (largest city: Northwood)
By congressional district Trump won all four of the congressional districts, including one held by a Democrat. District Clinton Trump Representative 45% 48%Rod Blum 44% 48%Dave Loebsack 44% 48%David Young 33% 60%Steve King
Analysis
Trump made massive gains in nearly all of the state’s counties, except for the most college-educated ones, particularly Johnson County (home to the University of Iowa).