▁process ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁although ▁that ▁has ▁been ▁changed ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁election ▁cycle . ▁ ▁If ▁the ▁Iowa ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Republican ▁c auc uses ▁were ▁regarded ▁as ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁Republican ▁delegate ▁selection ▁process ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁United ▁States ▁president ial ▁election , ▁the ▁real ▁c au cus ▁process ▁was ▁the ▁election ▁of ▁Republican ▁deleg ates ▁to ▁the ▁county ▁convent ions , ▁who ▁would ▁eventually ▁determine ▁the ▁deleg ates ▁at ▁the ▁state ▁convention ▁in ▁June ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁This ▁would , ▁in ▁turn , ▁determine ▁the ▁Iowa ▁deleg ates ▁who ▁would ▁attend ▁the ▁Republican ▁National ▁Convention ▁in ▁August , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁This ▁process ▁reward ed ▁campaign ▁organizations ▁that ▁could ▁not ▁only ▁get ▁supp or ters ▁to ▁the ▁c au cus ▁sites , ▁but ▁get ▁supp or ters ▁who ▁would ▁be ▁willing ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁deleg ates ▁to ▁county ▁convent ions ▁and ▁beyond . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Ron ▁Paul ▁was ▁ultimately ▁able ▁to ▁win ▁ 2 2 ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 8 ▁deleg ates ▁to ▁the ▁national ▁convention ▁and ▁Mitt ▁Rom ney ▁won ▁the ▁other ▁six . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 1 – 2 0 1 2 ▁pre - c au cus ▁poll ▁results ▁for ▁Iowa ▁had ▁highly ▁vol atile ▁results ; ▁Gall up ▁pol ls ▁showed ▁the ▁leading ▁candidate ▁in ▁Iowa ▁change ▁seven ▁times ▁from ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁until ▁the ▁c auc