By the time you read this editorial, the winner of the 2012 Iowa caucuses will have likely already been determined. The mainstream media will immediately annoint that winner as the “frontrunner” and create a narrative where every other candidate is way behind.

While Iowa is certainly a good state with good people, it’s only a small percentage of the U.S. population. Although Midwesterners share a lot of our Southern values — the importance of church and family, among them — there are still a lot of differences between us. It’s disingenuous to extrapolate the mindset of a nation of millions from a few hundred thousand voters in one state out of 50. Remember, Mike Huckabee won the 2008 Iowa caucuses, while eventual nominee John McCain finished fourth.

Georgians will participate in their own presidential preference primary on March 6, and by then many other states will have held their primaries and caucuses as well. While it may be tempting to choose the frontrunner, we encourage all voters to do their own research and determine which candidate they believe is the best for the country. Choose the candidate that you believe represents your values and desires, not the media-anointed choice. There is a wealth of research information available, both on the Internet and in other media, and there is no excuse for any of us to be “ignorant voters.”