"Iowa Caucus 2024: Significance, Forecast, and Changes"

The Iowa caucuses mark the official start of the presidential nominating process and are significant due to their historical impact on candidates' momentum. Iowa's unique caucus system involves party meetings and secret ballots for Republicans, while Democrats physically gather and realign if a candidate falls below 15%. The state's first-in-the-nation status is rooted in historical traditions and has significant influence on the presidential race, despite recent questions about its demographic representativeness.