Local Students Turn Out at Iowa Caucuses

Mitt Romney topped Rick Santorum by an incredibly close margin, just eight votes, in Tuesday's Iowa caucus. But a couple New Lenox-area students interviewed explained why they support Ron Paul, who finished third.

"I was a pretty big Obama person, and I just kind of had an epiphany that government isn’t the answer," Matt Taylor, a 20-year-old student from Manhattan, Ill., told the Quad City Times.

Taylor caucused for Paul, who finished with 21.5 percent of the votes. Following the caucus, Paul told the NBC Today Show he believes he has the youth vote, and "that's how you would have to beat Obama."

The Quad City Times also spoke with 20-year-old Paul Marconi of New Lenox, who also caucused for Paul in Iowa City. According to the Times, Marconi said Paul could address debt problems and government encroaching on personal liberties.

“He’s just different from every other candidate,” Marconi said to the Times. “It’s all about liberties.”

Meanwhile, our of the day's events. If you're looking for a number of angles and news stories from last night, make sure to read the Iowa Patch websites.

After finishing poorly in the caucus, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann announced she will end her campaign for the Republican nomination.