11 Unforgettable Moments of Iowa's Election 2012 Season: Bachmann Vs. Gay Robot, Santorum Glitter-Bombed, 'Homeboy' Abe Lincoln, Gingrich Occupied

After more than a year and a half, presidential campaigning here in Iowa has come to an end.

So, for the next week until election 2016 visits begin, we are going to relax and try to recuperate. Still, there's a few moments from the 2012 campaign that are hard to forget - as hard as we may try.

Here are some that stick out from our Patch editors in Iowa.

I'll start with my own.

1. Michele Bachmann meets gay robot

By late 2011, presidential candidates had seen it all: hecklers, protesters, haters of all shapes and sizes. As it turns out, not all.

On a bitterly cold day, then-Republican hopeful Michele Bachmann (that's one l and two n's) visited Hamburg Inn No. 2 in the liberal confines of Iowa City. The Minnesota congresswoman, a hard-nosed social conservative who opposes gay marriage and just about everything else the majority in Iowa City hold dear, was met by a hostile crowd and, wait for it, a gay robot.

The self-proclaimed "robo-prof" was miffed about Bachmann's stance on gay marriage and because, he said, she's a "robo-phobe." The robot was just one piece of an electric afternoon in which Bachmann also met Occupy Iowa.

Take a look back at the .

What are your favorite Election 2012 memories? Upload pictures to the article or share anecdotes in the comments section.

2. Herman Cain

Remember how once, for a moment, Herman Cain was a front-runner in Iowa and the nation for the GOP nod? Yeah, we do, too. The Hermanator was fun to cover with his catchy sayings and his "9-9-9" tax plan, but alas it was not to last. The Cain Train crashed amidst allegations of sexual harassment and dropped his bid.

3. Obama gives shout-out to "homeboy" Abe Lincoln

President Obama, campaigning in Cedar Rapids this year, saw one of his predecessors in the audience, and decided to pay his respects.

"Abraham Lincoln is in the house. My homeboy from Illinois and an outstanding Republican endorsee," Obama called to him from the stage when he first arrived.

In the audience was Abe Lincoln impersonator Lance Mack in full garb.

4. Santorum gets glitter-bombed

Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who toured all 99 counties before the Iowa Caucus, perhaps spent more time than any candidate in Iowa. One moment Santorum won't soon forget is a lone protester in Johnston armed with red glitter.

The protester, a young man dressed in a white dress shirt and pants with a Rick Santorum sticker on his shirt, threw the glitter - some call the practice glitter-bombing - on Santorum as he shouted “stop the hate.” He may still be sparkling.

5. An Iowa Caucus night for the ages

There is no way I will soon forget Caucus night on Jan. 3 that bled into the wee hours of the morning of Jan. 4 and Jan. 5 and all the way until late on Jan. 20 when the final, official winner of the Iowa Caucus was declared.

The Republican Party of Iowa didn't want to declare a winner in the oh-so-close vote. After pressure, well after midnight, they said Mitt Romney had won the Iowa Caucus by eight votes over Rick Santorum.

But, after a recount that took two weeks, Santorum had emerged on top by a 34-vote margin.

And, who can forget Edith and Caroline, the poll workers from Clinton County who were awoken in the middle of the night by CNN to help Wolf Blitzer and John King account for missing votes.

6. Cedar Falls man asks for and gets job advice from President Obama

Tim Getting was struggling to find work, so when he saw President Obama across the street during a campaign stop in Cedar Falls, he decided to go ask Obama for job advice. He got it, and it wasn't just the cursory "good luck, kid."

"Always go in person," the president suggested on inquiring about a job. "Show up and say, 'I'm interested in interning, even if it's just part-time and even if it's not getting paid right away. Get it on your resume'."

Follow the link to read more of Obama's advice in the article and watch video of the encounter.

7. Sesame Street fights back

This one is the picture more than anything that sticks out in my mind. standing along the roadside fighting for their future. In costume were activists from Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, carrying signs like, "99% of Cookies are Eaten by 1% of Monsters."

The presidential debate quip by Mitt Romney that the government needs to cut subsidies to PBS even though, "I love Big Bird," inspired the protest.

8. Beer-30 on the campaign trail

In a bizarre twist but one I appreciated due to my affinity for craft beer, a news cycle latched on to President Obama's homebrewed beer, the White House Honey Ale.

Around the same time as people were taking action to get the secret recipe for the homebrew, Obama was photographed a few times knocking back cold ones on the campaign trail, including at a surprise visit to the Iowa State Fair.

9. Welcome to Iowa Paul Ryan

Just two days after being named Mitt Romney's choice,  Paul Ryan made one of his very first campaign stops as a vice presidential candidate at the Iowa State Fair.

Not sure what the Wisconsin Congressman was expecting, but he met a jam-packed and raucous crowd that included steady heckling and a protester disguised as a Romney supporter who rushed the stage.

"She must not be from Iowa," Ryan said.

10. Newt gets Occupied

Newt Gingrich just wanted to talk a little brain research, but he could hardly get in a word over hecklers during a campaign stop at University of Iowa in December 2011.

About 15 Occupy Iowa City protesters took turns heckling the former House Speaker. The disruption went on for several minutes.

"I appreciate the fact that 95 percent of you, maybe even 99 percent of you (applause from the crowd) are willing to actually have an intelligent discussion and not be drowned out by the 1 percent who are trying to impose their will," Gingrich fired back.

Top 10s are so overdone. Let's go for 11.

There are many Pizza Ranches across Iowa's 99 counties, which didn't help Michele Bachmann campaigning at the Waukee location. While standing between the pizza and salad bars, Bachmann announced plans to limit Obama to one-term "right here in Waukee County."

Whoops. She was actually in the city of Waukee in Dallas County, not the ideal way to ingratiate yourself to voters in the heart of election season.

Then, she helped solidify her mark on one Patch editor's memory by comparing herself to Margaret Thatcher.