The 2016 Iowa caucuses were the real winner

The 2016 Iowa caucuses were an incredible night.

First, the caucuses won with fabulous turnout. No longer can anyone say it's a lethargic and low turnout event. It was a record breaker all around.

Second, the new reporting system worked flawlessly. There won't be any lost votes.

The results were unbelievable.

Ted Cruz won, but Donald Trump and Marco Rubio finished close behind him. So it was not an overwhelming victory.

In fact, Rubio actually won on the Republican side. He far exceeded expectations. He also sealed his place as the go-to guy for establishment Republicans. His showing changes the dynamics of the entire race.

The biggest loser was Jeb Bush. His terrible performance seals his fate. Money will now dry up for his campaign. As we speak, there are negotiations going on for him to pull out, according to one of my sources inside the GOP.

The caucuses did their job by helping to winnow the field. After seeing weak support, Mike Huckabee and Martin O'Malley announced they are suspending their campaigns. We believe that others who underperformed now have to pull out, as well. There is no path for Rick Santorum, Carly Fiorina, John Kasich or even Chris Christie.

As for the Democrats, the squeaking-tight Democratic results are very bad for Hillary Clinton, who should have walked away with this event.

Bernie Sanders did exceptionally well. The fear that his supporters would not turn out turned out to be unfounded. Student precincts were paralyzed by the large numbers who attended. New registrations were impressive - hopefully these new voters will revitalize democracy and give a taste of ownership to many who were not previously engaged.

Next week's New Hampshire primary will be deeply affected by the outcome of Iowa. The Iowa caucuses did everything they were made for. It was a night to savor and remember.

' Steffen Schmidt is professor of political science at Iowa State University. Comments: steffenschmidt2005@gmail.com