Caucus System

The caucus system has two meanings in US Politics. Firstly, it can be used to describe a method used by some states such as Iowa, Texas and Nevada in choosing their Presidential candidates during the Primary season. Second it can be the term used to describe the groupings in Congress.

Selection of Candidates

A caucus system itself is a method of choosing the nominees for President from political parties in the states. The famous US caucuses take place in Iowa, which historically has started off the presidential nomination process, Texas and Nevada. Each state has different rules on how caucuses should be run and may include rules which mandate people to announce publically which candidate they are supporting. Caucuses tend to be a public meeting of supporters, rather than an election which is used is many other states. The use of caucuses to select nominees has died out somewhat in recent political history, with states preferring to use the primary election method instead.

The Caucus in Congress

The term caucus when applied to Congress typically refers to the smaller groups that exist within the wider party groupings. These types of groups can include groups such as the Congressional Black Caucus or the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. These caucus groups can be quite significant voting blocs within Congress, and typically seek to advance legislation that is in the interests of members of those groups. There are other types of caucus in Congress, whose members will rally around a single issue. These can include the Out of Iraq Caucus, or the Congressional Internet Caucus. They in a similar fashion to those previously mentioned will seek to advance legislation and promote their issues in Congress.