Romney Has Early Edge In Iowa

Rest Of GOP Field Mulling How To Compete, If At All, Against Former Governor

(The Politico)  By The Politico's Jonathan Martin

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Six months before the Iowa caucuses, Mitt Romney has taken a commanding organizational lead in this traditional kick-off state.

Arizona Sen. John McCain's financial difficulties have forced him to dramatically scale back his Iowa campaign, and it's not clear whether former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani or ex-Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson will fully engage in the Hawkeye State caucuses.

That leaves Romney as the sole representative of the GOP top tier to commit to the traditional Ames Straw Poll and offer himself to voters for up close and personal inspections.

The former Massachusetts governor has 20 full-time staffers, coordinators in most of the state's 99 counties, and a group of about 50 "super volunteers" that has already swept through the universe of likely caucus-goers with initial phone calls and have begun going door to door in key precincts.

His effort got a big boost last week when McCain, down to just $2 million cash on hand, halved his Iowa staff to seven to save money. Let go were McCain's state director and seven other operatives in the state who had been building the senator's organization for months.

It was a hard blow for McCain, not least because he was already viewed with some suspicion by conservative activists in the state.

The senator's public identification with the immigration bill has been crushing.

"Even as far left as Tom Harkin is, he got so many calls on this issue that he voted with the conservatives on this," observed Mark Lundberg, chairman of the Sioux County Republican Party, referring to the state's Democratic senator. "That could be the nail in McCain's coffin in Iowa."

The Arizonan, however, retains the loyalties of a group of Hawkeye State political veterans — starting with his campaign manager Terry Nelson — and has pledged to fight in Iowa.

Giuliani Commitment Questioned

Giuliani has also shaken up his staff in the state recently, moving K.C. Jones, who had been his regional political director, into Des Moines to helm the caucus effort.

Hoping to fend off the notion that he's anything less than totally committed to the state, Giuliani also deployed senior staffers from his national campaign to the state last month to develop a team.

But while his presence has grown — Giuliani staffers are now regulars at GOP county committee meetings — activists worry that he's not taking the state seriously.

"Giuliani has very limited, almost none that I am aware of, organization in my part of the state," said Kevin Alons, chairman of the Woodbury County GOP, the western Iowa jurisdiction that includes Sioux City.

The former mayor has been to Iowa four times this year but has limited his travel to the state's two largest cities and has yet to touch down in western Iowa, the most conservative part of the state.

For Giuliani, his best caucus hopes may lie in the politics of pluralities. Should Thompson play in Iowa, conservatives may split their vote between the actor/politician and Romney, with some second-tier candidates also picking up support.

That scenario could allow Giuliani to win enough moderates and fiscal or security conservatives to enjoy a plurality win.

Dark Horses

But that premise rests on two known unknowns.

First, Thompson has not yet committed to competing in Iowa. While he has already made much-hyped visits to New Hampshire and South Carolina, he has yet to touch down in the Hawkeye State. (Thompson has, however, recently hired an experienced Iowa hand, Andrew Dorr, for his campaign in waiting and Dorr has already begun reaching out to some of the laid-off former McCain aides.)

Second, it's uncertain whether the lesser-known GOP candidates will have the resources to stay in the race until January.

With 13 paid staffers and 46 college interns on the ground helping to organize for the straw poll, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback probably has the most far-reaching organization behind Romney now that McCain has had to cut back.

But Brownback had just a little over $800,000 on hand after the first quarter and raised only $1.5 million in the past three months. A spokesman declined to reveal how much money they now have in the bank.

Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson and ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee have also amassed staff in the state in the run-up to Ames, but they also face similar financial challenges.

[prinzowhales]

Why not a poll of Iowans on who they support instead of how many campaign workers money-bags Romney can hire?

[gunownerdan]

Romney is the richest candidate, so it only makes sense that he can buy the most votes.

[name_verify]

DNC NEWS UPDATE

Pelosi congress hits 15% approval rating - lowest in recorded history.

Admitts to be being beholden to SF queer lobby and bloggers.

Apologizes for big jewelry and blinking into the camera, after under-going retail therapy.

Phones to Cindy Sheehan and leaves heartfelt message on voice mail.

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[briannorwood]

Great news. Romney will be the Democrat's dream candidate. This guy has flipped and flopped so much that defeating him will be as easy as makin flapjacks!

[SIDNEYWILLIAMSMD]

Back off Romney your liberals. He is a solid republican who appeals to just your type except for the the yellow dogs. Yes, he appeals to democrats just like Reagan did. This scares the fecal material from your behinds. We all know that. In fact your have double trouble because Guiliani is also a demo pleasing Republican. As I see this battle developing the democrats are swerving the left, and the GOP is swerving to the Center where the votes are. The democrat leadership is the only political party that could mess up a wet dream.

[SIDNEYWILLIAMSMD]

Don't get me started on Sheehan, but I will be the first conservative to send her money to run against Pelosi..crazy thing is she might win, then I would be having diarrhea and wish "blinky" was back with the SF gay group.

[perception5]

Neither Hillary or Obama are qualified to be president.

Both voted AGAINST funding for American troops overseas.

How can they expect to be "Commander-in-Chief" and vote agaisnt American troop funding?? For Political Reasons no less.........................really sad.

FYI- America almost never elects "Senators" as President's. So elimate all the Senators running from both parties and you will find our NEW PRESIDENT in the remaining candidates.

[perception5]

Great news. Romney will be the Democrat's dream candidate. This guy has flipped and flopped so much that defeating him will be as easy as makin flapjacks!
Posted by briannorwood at 01:41 PM : Jul 09, 2007

.....briannorwood, flip-flopping didn't stop you for voting for the "mother" of all flip-floppers in 2004, John, rich snob, Kerry......... did it? Nice try repeating the same of sterotypes as our corrupt liberal MSM wolfpack press............Really sad.

[SIDNEYWILLIAMSMD]

Yellow dog democrats will have to quit taking the measurements for the curtains in the White House. Romney will not be the democrats dream, he will be the democrats "nightmare" because he will appeal to independent democrats, the same ones who put Reagan in the white house. Yes by going with far leftist candidates you will be outflanked and outmaneuvered by this fellow or Guiliani or both. This will trash your stalinist plans for America for at least 20 years. Brace yourselves to lose New York, Texas, and California, removing the blue areas from the political map of America. Hows that for a nightmare?

[briannorwood]

doctorwho4:

Dream on! The Democratic party is energized around our slate of potential candidates. I personally support Obama, but will be more than happy with any of the others.

Unfortunately for the Republicans, their slate is very weak, with Mitt Roaminresponses leading the pack of them.

And, I believe if nominated, Southern Republicans will not support him.

[okaussie]

Romney will be the Democrats dream and for one reason.... What Southern Baptist will vote for a Mormon? They may not vote for Hillary or Obama but instead just not vote period.

[rushlimpdrug]

So the GOP offers:
Fred Thompson - An old lobbist turned actor;
McCain - a guy that thinks urban warfare is a peaceful place to shop;
Rudy Giuliani - A guy married to a chick that can't count the times she's been married;
Mitt Romney - A mormon that doesn't think like one.
Gotta love the republican party.
Bring it on.

[soldat44]

Yellow dog democrats will have to quit taking the measurements for the curtains in the White House. Romney will not be the democrats dream, he will be the democrats "nightmare" because he will appeal to independent democrats, the same ones who put Reagan in the white house. Yes by going with far leftist candidates you will be outflanked and outmaneuvered by this fellow or Guiliani or both. This will trash your stalinist plans for America for at least 20 years. Brace yourselves to lose New York, Texas, and California, removing the blue areas from the political map of America. Hows that for a nightmare?
Posted by doctorwho4 at 02:08 PM : Jul 09, 2007

With all respect, I think you better wake up. No mormon will ever gain the whitehouse.

[marcodele]

Does this mean we'll have several 'First Ladies?'

I'm confused. I keep watching "Big Love" on HBO and it scares me to think the idiot neocon compassionate evangelical christian Rush-loving Fox News lemmings will put Mitt Romney in the White House.

Of course, it couldn't be any worse than W.

[lorinkundert]

McCain is getting exactly what he deserved by ignoring his constituents by voting to allow 12+ million criminals amnesty. At least he might have a career in Mexican politics.

[gunownerdan]

Ron Paul: Hope for America!
www.ronpaul2008.com

[m1743]

I,m not surprised at all that Mitt has done so well in Iowa! I remember when I was living in Massachusetts and he announced that he was going to run for Govenor,EVERYBODY said the SAME things then as they are now,he's a Mormon,he'll NEVER get elected in Ma. BLAH,BLAH,BLAH.Well,he's now in 1st pl.in Iowa and I expect him to be the Rep.candidate,No Problem!!! :)

[smirk5]

If Romney becomes the GOP candidate, he will have difficulty debating the democratic nominee. After all, he doesn't even know where he'll stand on the issues a year from now.

[name_verify]

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COMMENTS ARE CLOSED FOR THIS STORY

MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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DNC NEWS UPDATE

Jesse Jackson arrives in Pelosi's hometown of SF and denounces black on black violence.

Poses for photo op with victims' surviving family members.

Unity of the oppressed speech draws crowd of angry queers.

Cindy Sheehan participates by conference call, says some of Casey's best friends were negros.

Barak claims he's just as much a feminist as Hillary is a negro.

Hillary says you can't invalidate her feelings.

Gore promises race neutral, gender neutral, feminist rap concert next year to benefit both negros and queers who use compact flourescent bulbs, scheduled to coincide with Pelosi's bill to protect farm goats.

- 2008 Campaign to Save the Planet! -

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[smirk5]

Why aren't any of Romney's sons fighting them over there so we don't have to face them here? If he's such a leader, why hasn't he convinced any of his sons to fight the struggle between good and evil he says he believes in?

[huskerarmy]

Why aren't any of Romney's sons fighting them over there so we don't have to face them here? If he's such a leader, why hasn't he convinced any of his sons to fight the struggle between good and evil he says he believes in?
Posted by Smirk5
When he says he believes in the fight, he means the poor man's fight. Don't forget the righty slogan: War... feeds the rich and burries the poor.

[gunownerdan]

Dr. Ron Paul is the only candidate who would actually obey the presidential oath of office - to protect and defend the Constitution.
That's why the corporate-owned media will hardly mention his name.
ronpaul2008.com

[perception5]

Neither Hillary or Obama are qualified to be president.

Both voted AGAINST funding for American troops overseas.

How can they expect to be "Commander-in-Chief" and vote agaisnt American troop funding?? For Political Reasons no less.........................really sad.

FYI- America almost never elects "Senators" as President's. So elimate all the Senators running from both parties and you will find our NEW PRESIDENT in the remaining candidates.

[jacksteen1]

THANK GOODNESS this cross-eyed Yellowhammer piece of mormon ********* is the frontrunner for the Republicrap Party! It actually makes little difference if it turns out to be him, Rudy/Judy Guiliani, or DogFace Fred Thompson...the Democratic Party has it in the bag !

I have to laugh at GunOwnerDan and Perception's posts about Obama and Hillary not being 'qualified,' and how Ron Paul is going to save us - and the world. As if the idiots they support have a fiddler's chance in Hell to win. I still chide a friend about her wasted vote for John Anderson years ago - a nice symbolic act, but totally worthless. Get real, people.

This mormon serial-marriage practitioner hasn't a white salamander's chance on a sunny day in the Utah sun.

No matter how much of his cult's money he squanders with his nefarious lying advertisements.

He's a cultist. Do some serious study of the gang of loons he belongs to.

[perception5]

He's a cultist. Do some serious study of the gang of loons he belongs to.
Posted by JackSteen1 at 06:54 PM : Jul 09, 2007

.......Yeah Jackass1, and Mitt wouldn't have a chance to be elected to Governor of the "bluest" US State either would he??

Jackass1 you probalby don't know it but your liberal feathers are showing and it sounds like you are highly contaminated.

[Syndicate]

I consider christians jews and musslims to be cultist also. After all you all believe in fairy tales. Frankly Mormon theology is just as weird as any of the mainstream religions. You're all nuts.

[gkc99]

"Romney is only my second choice. Ann Coulter is by far the best."
Posted by gitreal

The best--at what? Sucking blood from little children? Sucking the souls of men out through their ***?

The evil undead succubus needs to have a silver stake driven through her heart with an iron hammer.

Too bad you'll never get from Coulter what Clinton got from Monica! But every time you jerk off to the TV image of her face, Satan gets a little more of your soul.

Hope you like your trip to Hell!

[fredgrad2000]

Ahhhh....great, Romney...just what we need the choice of the religious right vs the Dem who most kisses MoveOn.org's a$$...what a great choice we'll have next year...ughhhhh

[fredgrad2000]

JackSteen1 -

Obama nor Hillary ARE qualified; Obama has done what, 2 years in the Senate (most of it campaigning), and Hillary one term in the Senate and 2 terms as the hostess-in-chief (that's all a first lady is)...now I dislike Romney too, but both these dam* parties drive me nuts - they both seem to live to discard their most qualfied, knowledgeable candidates!! Please...tell me you believe Hillary or Obama hold a candle in experience or knowledge to either Richardson or Biden (yet both are at best "2nd tier") or that Romney is even close to McCain (4 or 6 terms in the Senate and a war hero) or even Giuliani (2 good terms as mayor - chief executive - of a city larger than 30 of our states and long time as US Attorney) or Duncan Hunter (16 terms as rep, chairman of armed services comm., son serving in Iraq, military veteran in Vietnam). With these candidates, the parties choose Romney and Hillary!? Unreal...

[kenstanford]

I think Jonathan Martin was in a rush and didn't have time to look at the activity in Iowa recently at a rally for Ron Paul (drew 1200 people and all other Republican candidates were in in another room with 500-600 people). Martin's discussion about the "second-tier" (so-called) candidates and fund raising seemed to have omitted information about Paul's contributors raising Paul to third on the "cash-on-hand" group of all Republican candidates at the end of the second quarter. Since Paul is a fiscal conservative, I have confidence that he will spend his contributions more wisely than most Democrats and many Republicans. I believe that Ron Paul will be the political story of 2008 and quite a few journalists will be jumping on the bandwagon (possibly too late to restore their credibility and foresight).

[SIDNEYWILLIAMSMD]

....that Romney is even close to McCain (4 or 6 terms in the Senate and a war hero) or even Giuliani (2 good terms as mayor - chief executive - of a city larger than 30 of our states and long time as US Attorney) or Duncan Hunter (16 terms as rep, chairman of armed services comm., son serving in Iraq, military veteran in Vietnam). With these candidates, the parties choose Romney and Hillary!? Unreal...
Posted by fredgrad2000 at 09:43 PM : Jul 09, 2007

You are right. Kind of unreal. Well said. But it will be interesting to watch a real businessman and politician MR. ROMNEY take on Hillary. He is a perfect MR.CLEAN image and she is a tawdry attorney who cannot find her billing records or explain the technique for pulling 100 successful future trades against all odds, nor has she fully explained her relationship with the late Vince Foster, who was said to be fond of her.