High turnout for the 1980 Iowa caucuses and conflicting explanations for that high turnout formed the background for an investigation of the relationship between media uses and gratifications, involvement in the local community, and caucus participation. Campaign fan gratifications--either excitement seeking or communicative utility--were hypothesized as being unrelated to political activity. A random sample of 46 caucus participants and nonparticipants in the state precinct caucuses was surveyed. Results indicated that caucus participants were more active in local and presidential politics, more involved in the local community, paid more attention to newspaper information content, and were more likely than nonparticipants to watch television programs that featured political candidates. Campaign fan gratifications were not involved in differentiating participants from nonparticipants. Thus, the campaign fan hypothesis remained unconfirmed. (Author/RL)