Skip Rutherford, who has been involved in numerous political campaigns, gave an early look at the 2008 presidential election in a speech at Lyon College on Wednesday.

Rutherford, a Lyon trustee and dean of the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, gave his comments at an event hosted by the Mabee-Simpson Library.

The 2008 presidential election will be the first since 1928 without a sitting president or vice president on the ballot, Rutherford pointed out.

He reviewed the candidates in the Republican and Democratic primaries and focused on the importance of the Iowa caucus, which will be held Jan. 3. The winners of the Iowa caucus will have momentum going into the New Hampshire primary. If that momentum carries through to the South Carolina primary, the nominees in both parties could be decided earlier than ever before.

“This will be a strong year for the Democrats,” Rutherford said, and he predicted that Sen. Hillary Clinton will be the eventual nominee. Indeed, when asked to predict the eventual winner in November 2008, he said he believes this country could see its first female president next year.

The Republican picture is harder to predict, he said, and the Iowa caucus will play a vital role in weeding out the field of contenders. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has spent millions of dollars in Iowa and is the frontrunner.

Whoever finishes second will receive a big boost as well, and that could be former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is running strong in Iowa despite having almost no campaign money. Rutherford said Huckabee does have a chance to finish second, ahead of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, which would give Huckabee a huge boost going into New Hampshire.

“Don’t count Huckabee out,” Rutherford said.

He also said Fred Thompson, the actor and Republican U.S. senator from Tennessee, has been a disappointment since entering the campaign late.

The big issue for this election will be the War in Iraq, he said. Two other topics that could affect the campaign are immigration and gasoline prices.

He is also confident that the 2008 election will bring many young voters to the polls. He expects presidential campaign to target these younger voters with text messages to generate a greater turnout for the election.