2012 US Election

In the shadow of the Heartland Co-op grain elevator on Walnut Street in Dallas Center, population 1, 623, Iowans got ready to vote in their Republican caucus.

John Cartwright smoked a last cigarette as he waited for the doors of Memorial Hall to open at six o’clock.

As caucus captain for Rick Santorum, Mr Cartwright's job was to address the meeting on behalf of the candidate and win over undecided voters.

Cliff Teinert, caucus captain for Rick Perry, helped prepare the room.

On arrival registered Republican voters signed in (right). On the other side of the table unregistered voters first had to register as Republicans.

Micky Davis had brought her granddaughter Zoey Hogue. Mrs Davis said she would probably vote for Mr Perry but she would “listen to people talk".

The caucus began with the pledge of allegiance.

Only five of the presidential candidates were represented. John Cartwright drew a number to determine that he would be the fourth to speak.

Mr Cartwright was limited to five minutes in which to deliver his remarks and make the case for voting for Rick Santorum.

When the last of the five caucus captains had spoken ballot papers were distributed.

Mr Cartwright cast his own vote.

As the votes were counted, while Mr Cartwright and Heidi Carter, the caucus captain for Mitt Romney, looked on, it quickly became clear that the result would be close.

But Mr Santorum received the most votes.

Mitch Hambleton, the caucus chairperson, made the announcement: Rick Santorum, 36; Mitt Romney, 33; Rick Perry, 16; Newt Gingrich, 15; Ron Paul, 12; Michele Bachmann, 7.

He then dialed a reporting hotline for the Republican Party. The state-wide result is a total of all of the individual votes in Iowa.

Fourteen miles away at the Stoney Creek Inn in Johnston, Rick Santorum (centre) and his team monitored the state-wide precinct returns.

Mr and Mrs Santorum were guardedly optimistic when told that he held a narrow lead.

Still in the lead but unable to declare victory, Mr Santorum appeared with members of his family on stage in the ballroom of the Stoney Creek Inn.

Hours after voting ended, a television broadcast announced for the first time that Mitt Romney was the projected winner.

Rick Santorum won the precinct's caucus but Mitt Romney won the Iowa caucuses by eight votes. "We could have won the sucker outright", mused John Cartwright.