IOWA CITY - A record number of caucus goers battled cold temperatures and packed rooms to support their candidates. And more young people took part than ever before. A big question heading into last night's caucuses concerned young people. Would they actually show up? The answer is a resounding yes.

The numbers are in. Mike Huckabee and Barack Obama carried Iowa for their respective political parties. And they could not have done it without younger voters. Specifically men and women under 30 who came out in record numbers to support their candidates. Carmen Krapfl, 23, said, “I caucused in northeast Iowa and I was really impressed by the number of college-aged students."

The numbers are astounding. According to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, the youth vote more than tripled from 2004, from 20,740 participants to 65,230. And younger Iowans supported Huckabee and Obama more than any other age group. Jillian Moore, 26, said, “The Obama group was so big we got divided into two or three rooms."

Perhaps more than any other candidate, Obama depended on the turnout of college students and young professionals. He made many campaign stops to Iowa City and the University of Iowa. His work courting young Iowans paid off. Obama won Iowa with about 38-percent. Other candidates also reaped the benefits of young support. Republican congressman Ron Paul finished with more than 10,000 votes. He had a lot of support in North Liberty. Sarah Lenger, 26, supports Paul. She said, “There was a lot of people my age who work in the area that came right from work."

The candidates spent a lot more time in Iowa than they will in any other state. It remains to be seen whether a few visits can attract the attention of younger people the same way a several week commitment did.

Email Steve Nicoles at Steve.Nicoles@kcrg.com