Shortly after last week’s Iowa caucuses, only about half (49%) of American adults could name both the Democratic and Republican winner — but 40% say the media have devoted too much coverage to the campaign. Republican voters were far more able to name Huckabee (61%) than were Democrats (45%) or independents (51%). Yet, reflecting Obama’s greater visibility, even among Republicans more could name Obama as the Democratic victor than Huckabee as the GOP winner (76% vs. 61%). Knowledge about who won the Iowa Republican and Democratic caucuses also varies by education, age and attentiveness to news about the campaign. College graduates are better informed and Americans over the age of 30 are more than twice as likely as those under 30 to know both winners in Iowa. Those who are following news about the campaign very closely are more likely to know the caucus winners than those who are not paying as close attention. But for the first time since the campaign began, about as many say the press has devoted too much coverage to the campaign as say the amount of coverage has been appropriate (40% vs 43%). More Republicans (45%) than Democrats (32%) say that the press is paying too much attention to the campaign. Read More

Russell Heimlich  is a former web developer at Pew Research Center.