In a wide open presidential race, tonight we may get the first glimpse into who will emerge as the strongest candidates. In the Iowa caucuses tonight, Iowans begin the process of selecting the presidential nominees.

The Iowa caucuses are the first to be held in the nation during each Presidential election cycle. The Iowa caucuses are the candidates’ first opportunity to gauge their level of approval or popularity among voters.

The candidates have been wooing Iowa voters for month, but it’s difficult to know how thing will go.

However, by the end of the night, many questions may begin to be answered. Is the Democratic race just between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, or will John Edwards get a good share of the votes?

Is the Republican side as wide open as it seems? The top tier seems to be Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. But do Ron Paul and Fred Thompson have any chance?

Whatever happens tonight, winning the Iowa caucus doesn’t necessarily assure a nomination. George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton both finished third in Iowa en route to becoming president.