A nomination process that looked a year ago to herald the reascension of two political dynasties, the Bushes and the Clintons, has turned into a wild, and sometimes humorous, roller coaster toward the summer conventions. Two candidates on hardly any radar screens in early 2015 well could win the first round of the fight for the White House, Monday's Iowa Caucuses.

For Democrats, the upstart has been Sen. Bernie Sanders, the self-described "democratic socialist." He has pushed Hillary Clinton to the left on some issues, such as taxes and guns, and away from the moderate 1990s "triangulation" strategy of husband Bill Clinton's presidency.

For Republicans, the surprise has been Donald Trump and his June 16 candidacy announcement, with his inflammatory call to deport 11 million illegal immigrants and "build a great, great wall on our southern border. And I will have Mexico pay for that wall." Since then, he has avoided the imminent demise predicted for him almost nonstop by political pundits.

Sinking first were former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, the leader a year ago and the son and brother of former presidents. Sen. Marco Rubio then became the favorite among the Republican establishment, but has stagnated in the polls. Former neurosurgeon Ben Carson surged for awhile, then faded. Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina and two governors, Chris Christie and John Kasich, never gained traction.

That left Texas Sen. Ted Cruz as the main rival to Trump in Iowa and possibly in the Feb. 9 New Hampshire primary. Sen. Cruz has been campaigning in Iowa as an anti-establishment candidate who can beat Trump. The other candidates were eager to battle Trump one more time in Thursday's debate from Des Moines. Then Trump pulled out of the debate in a tiff with host Fox News, especially over moderator Megyn Kelly.

Yet we were happy to see Sen. Rand Paul, dropped from the Jan. 14 debate, back behind a debate podium Thursday and stressing freedom, as when he said, "I don't think you have to give up your liberty for a false sense of security." He's hoping to nab some of the 21 percent of caucus voters that went to his father, libertarian former Rep. Ron Paul, in 2012.

The main theme this year is that many Americans are upset with the direction both party establishments are pushing the country. Monday, they will begin having their say.

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Photo credit: Max Goldberg