Tonight's Winner: The Youth Vote

While we pore over the results from Iowa and turn to New Hampshire, the clear winners for the 2008 presidential election are young voters. Dismissed by some as being too cynical to care and disenfranchised by others who discouraged them from returning early from Christmas vacation to vote, young voters made a decisive impact on the presidential race in Iowa. From young Democrats and college Republicans to non-partisan "rock the caucus" participants, a wave of young voters made their voices heard tonight.

While we await Iowa City results, we already know that on the Democratic side, a historic 22% of caucus-goers were under 30 -- matching the 22% of caucus-goers aged 65 and over. This means that ALL presidential contenders will have to connect with the aspirations of young people and listen to the voices of the future of America. Candidates beware: the youth vote is stronger than ever and is a force to be reckoned with in the primaries and caucuses ahead. The campaigns must be tech-savvy, youth-friendly, and otherwise inclusive of this new generation of voters. Rock on, young voters -- tonight is your victory. We'll see you in New Hampshire!