but I don't understand what you're saying about NH and Iowa not mattering.....
They are the internet equivalent of writing "first" in the comments section and nothing else.
Their diversity, in terms of ethnicity, age, gender and religion, do not reflect the general populous, nor do they reflect many of the swing states that actually matter. Their populations are so small that winning 100% of both states would be wiped out with winning just 40% of South Carolina.
They have silly rules do not match other states which serve to make their voting less reliable for future polling. For example, the silliness of a caucus aside - to participate in the NH Primary, you can change you party affiliation for the 3 minutes it takes you to vote and switch it right back.
They are simply a self-created media circus who, if they didn't work so hard to maintain their "first" in the primary season, no candidate would spend 20% of what was spent there in the past 5 months.
And don't use people dropping out after IA or NH as an example as to why they are important - those were never runs from the beginning. Jeb Bush being the outlier - if Texas doesn't save him on March 1, then more books will be written about his failed campaign than any of the winning campaigns, save for Trump. But that's not going to happen either.
