Romney Has Early Edge In Iowa

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

(The Politico) 
So for now it's Romney and then everyone else here.

He has divided Iowa up into 10 regions based upon past caucus turnout.

There is a field director in each place along with a handful of part-time regional field managers — or "super volunteers" — who are getting paid a few hundred dollars each month to make calls and knock on the doors of possible straw poll attendees and likely caucus participants. The effort, directed by Iowa native Gentry Collins, is lauded by most every neutral observer as superior.

Romney's Iowa effort began before most.

"They started early — Mitt spoke at our county convention two years ago — and they have some young staffers who worked in our county on other campaigns last election and are highly regarded," said Steve Schmitt, chairman of the Black Hawk County GOP.

Romney made 13 visits to the state in 2006, holding fundraisers for state and local candidates and collecting chits along the way. He's been back a dozen more times already this year.

On Air

Romney has also done what no other candidates have to date — broadcast radio and television commercials.

While costly, the ads, on the airwaves since late February, have boosted him to the lead of every recent Iowa poll and made a largely unknown one-term governor from the East Coast a recognizable figure to even non-political types.

For Romney, the plan had long been to go all-out in Iowa, starting with a big showing at the traditional test-of-strength in Ames on August 11 and then followed by a victory at the caucuses in January.

But McCain and Giuliani backed out of the straw poll in June and Thompson sources indicate that he won't make a showing there either, leaving Romney alone among the GOP frontrunners at the quadrennial political extravaganza.

Romney has sought to use the absence of the other Republican hopefuls to play on activist heartstrings, intimating strongly that to nominate anybody but him would endanger the state’s first in the nation tradition.

“The parades, the forums, the town meetings, the straw polls, the caucus, it’s all part of selecting the nominee for each party, and I’m 100% part of it,” he pledged to a local reporter while sweating his way through one of those parades in suburban Des Moines last week.

“Win or lose,” he reiterated, in case the point wasn’t clear, “I’m going to be part of it.”

Picking A Winner

For all Romney's organization, however, many Iowans are holding out, reserving judgment until later in the year.

Like political activists everywhere, they've become a more pragmatic bunch, inclined to think as much with their head as their heart when deciding on a candidate.

Lundberg, the Sioux County chairman, said he "likes the second-tier candidates a lot," but quickly adds that, "ultimately, people want to support a winner."

And that goes for any of the candidates. Worried about President Bush's basement approval ratings and frightened by the prospect of another President Clinton, Iowa GOP activists want to make sure they pick the right horse.

"There are still a number of conservatives who are looking for somebody that they can rally behind," Lundberg said. "At some point, you'll make a decision to back somebody and you're going to put time and effort into it - and it's tough to put time and effort in a losing cause."

[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.

[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).

[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...

[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

[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!

[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.

[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.

[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]

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.

[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

[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.

[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?

[name_verify]

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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]

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.

[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!!! :)

[gunownerdan]

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.