▁much ▁later ▁than ▁the ▁date ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁which ▁almost ▁immediately ▁followed ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁entire ▁schedule ▁of ▁c auc uses ▁and ▁prim aries ▁was ▁dis rupted , ▁however , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party ▁of ▁Florida ▁had ▁decided ▁to ▁move ▁up ▁its ▁primary ▁to ▁January ▁ 3 1 , ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁bring ▁attention ▁to ▁its ▁own ▁primary ▁contest , ▁and ▁attract ▁the ▁president ial ▁candidates ▁to ▁visit ▁the ▁state . ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁the ▁move , ▁the ▁Republican ▁National ▁Committee ▁decided ▁to ▁strip ▁Florida ▁of ▁half ▁of ▁its ▁deleg ates . ▁Also ▁as ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁Iowa ▁Republican ▁Party , ▁along ▁with ▁New ▁Ham pshire , ▁South ▁Carolina ▁and ▁Nev ada ▁then ▁sought ▁to ▁move ▁their ▁c auc uses ▁back ▁into ▁early ▁January . ▁All ▁but ▁Nev ada , ▁who ▁agreed ▁to ▁follow ▁Florida , ▁confirmed ▁their ▁c au cus ▁and ▁primary ▁dates ▁to ▁take ▁place ▁throughout ▁January , ▁with ▁Iowa ▁dec iding ▁to ▁hold ▁their ▁contest ▁on ▁January ▁ 3 , ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁Camp aign ▁sp ending ▁and ▁super ▁P AC s ▁The ▁Iowa ▁race ▁was ▁domin ated ▁by ▁a ▁large ▁volume ▁of ▁negative ▁or ▁attack ▁advert ising ▁paid ▁for ▁by ▁" super ▁P AC s " ▁supporting ▁candidates . ▁Total ▁political ▁exp end it ures ▁in ▁Iowa ▁set ▁a ▁new ▁record ,