. ▁The ▁other ▁ 3 ▁of ▁the ▁state ' s ▁ 6 5 ▁allocated ▁votes ▁were ▁not ▁announced . ▁ ▁Republican ▁c auc uses ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Iowa ▁Republican ▁c auc uses ▁took ▁place ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁Using ▁the ▁media ' s ▁generally ▁accepted ▁definition ▁of ▁the ▁Iowa ▁Republican ▁c au cus ▁as ▁the ▁non - binding ▁secret ▁pol ling ▁at ▁c au cus ▁sites ▁and ▁using ▁the ▁incomplete ▁data ▁available , ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁Iowa ▁Republican ▁c au cus ▁was ▁the ▁closest ▁race ▁in ▁Iowa ▁c au cus ▁history ▁with ▁only ▁a ▁thirty - four ▁vote ▁margin ▁( about ▁ ▁of ▁a ▁percent ) ▁separ ating ▁former ▁Senator ▁Rick ▁Sant orum ▁of ▁Pennsylvania , ▁who ▁received ▁ 2 9 , 8 3 9 ▁votes ▁( 2 4 . 5 6 % ), ▁and ▁former ▁Massachusetts ▁governor ▁Mitt ▁Rom ney , ▁who ▁received ▁ 2 9 , 8 0 5 ▁votes ▁( 2 4 . 5 3 %). ▁Represent ative ▁Ron ▁Paul ▁of ▁Texas ▁ran ▁a ▁close ▁third , ▁receiving ▁ 2 6 , 0 3 6 ▁votes ▁( 2 1 . 4 3 %). ▁ ▁Tra iling ▁were ▁former ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁New t ▁G ing rich ▁( 1 6 , 1 6 3 ▁votes , ▁ 1 3 . 3 0 % ), ▁Texas ▁governor ▁Rick ▁Perry ▁( 1 2 , 5 5 7 ▁votes , ▁ 1 0 . 3 3 %