U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told IowaPolitics.com he thinks the large turnout by caucus attendees sends an important message to those who want to reform the nation's primary system and prevent Iowa and New Hampshire from remaining the first states in the nation to begin the election process.

"It sends a strong signal that Iowans take this very seriously and it sends a message to the rest of the nation to maintain Iowa and New Hampshire as the first in the nation," Grassley said from the Convention Center in downtown Des Moines.

Grassley was asked if Huckabee's win in Iowa indicates that the Republican party is leaning more to the right.

"Whether it's the Democratic Party, and 10 percent on the left, or the Republican Party, 10 percent on the right, caucuses tend to emphasize the extremes of both parties and when you get beyond the convention and you get in the November election, you're going to find most of the Democratic candidates and Republican candidates going for votes toward that center 80 percent."

He added: "You're going to find both Democrats and GOP candidates going for votes from the center."

Grassley said he does not believe there was a significant amount of Republicans who caucused for Obama.

"I think if they went there it's because they are committed and I don't know of a lot of Republicans that would be for Obama. I think it would be a case of Independents that I'd worry about rather than Republicans.

"Just like in the 2006 election, a lot of people said well there was a revolt against Republicans. There wasn't a revolt among Republicans. We lost the independents in the 2006 election. Our base came out -- they didn't come out quite as much, but they didn't vote Democratic, either, ya know. "

Grassley has not endorsed a GOP presidential candidate and said the only way he'd get involved is it the GOP presidential race is narrowed to a couple of candidates. "There's a big difference between the candidates and if one person really wants me to campaign someplace else in the country, I might do that, but I'm going to do that based upon their request of me," he said.

Labels: Republicans