Romney Wins Iowa GOP Straw Poll

Ex-Mass. Governor Gets 31% Of Votes, Ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee Comes In 2nd

(CBS/AP)  California Congressman Duncan Hunter received just 174 votes (1.2 percent), and businessman John Cox totaled only 41, which is less than 1 percent. Three candidates who did not participate directly in the event also fared poorly. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani received 183 votes (1.3 percent) and 101 people (1.0 percent), cast ballots for Arizona Sen. John McCain. Actor and former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson, who has not yet announced his candidacy, drew support from 203 attendees (1.4 percent).

The total amount of votes cast — 14,302 — was a small percentage of the large crowd who attended throughout the day and less than the number who participated in the event in 1999. That year, more than 23,000 activists voted. Only Iowa residents were allowed to vote and the state party used indelible ink and other measures to prevent double-voting. Even then, the results are likely to be questioned by some supporters, especially after a technical glitch forced the party to hand-count over 1,500 votes and delayed the announcement over an hour.

The Ames straw poll has become an integral part of Republican presidential politics in Iowa and an important fund-raising mechanism for the state party. Tickets to the event cost $35 but most all of those in attendance were provided tickets and, in many cases, transportation by the campaigns.

Romney’s campaign will not provide figures but the price tag for winning is estimated to have been in the millions. The campaign bussed in supporters from all over the state, paid a premium for a prime location just outside of the coliseum and provided enormous amounts of barbeque, water and sodas. The campaign also distributed distinct yellow “Team Mitt” t-shirts, small fans, placards and other novelties. Billionaire Steve Forbes spent an estimated $2 million organizing for the event in 1999 and finished second to George W. Bush.

Success at the straw poll demonstrates the organizational ability of candidates in advance of the January caucuses but this year’s event was missing the party’s presidential national front-runner and two other well-known candidates. Giuliani and McCain announced earlier this summer that they would not participate in the event. In making his decision, Giuliani said organizing for the caucuses would be a better use of his time and money. Fred Thompson has not yet declared his candidacy but will make his first trip to Iowa this week.

Still, Romney’s victory will help him continue to build on his Iowa campaign, where many recent polls show him leading the GOP field. In his speech, Romney emphasized his conservatism but also sought to portray himself as a political outsider bent on healing what ailes the nation’s capital, telling the audience, “if there's ever been a time we need to see change in Washington it's now.” The former governor’s family has been a very public part of his campaign in Iowa and today was no exception. At the end of his speech, Romney’s wife Ann, their five sons, their wives and grandchildren crowded onto the stage.

Conversations with some of the activists who voted for Romney suggested that Romney’s attempts to woo conservative voters has paid off. Romney’s GOP opponents, particularly Brownback, have sought to highlight Romney’s changed positions on issues near and dear to conservatives, particularly on abortion.

But some in Ames, like 51-year old businesswoman Kathy Chapman, said they were not troubled by it. “I think he’s explained himself very well,” said Chapman who said she is supporting Romney because of his conservative positions, his experience and his overall image. “I think he would be a great image for the United States,” she said.

While Romney’s operation was by far the largest, other campaigns had plenty to offer as well. Brownback provided an air-conditioned tent alongside his barbeque. Moon-bounces, rock-climbing walls and other family-friendly activities littered the Iowa State campus. Huckabee entertained supporters by playing bass with his band, “Capitol Offense” and even rocked out to a version of “Johnny Be Goode” with an Elvis Presley impersonator.

[cattlekate]

Anyone who posts and EXCUSES Mitt's sons while his father is a supporter of this horrific foreign-policy-PNAC-war-profiteering-Robber-Baron nightmare is

either part of the 10 percent of uneducated people who are still Repubs, are struggling to pay their bills over the kitchen table and yet are deluded with Limbaugh&Hannity Radio which associates "family values and patriotism" with the Iraq occupation,

or part of the 15 percent who support Bush&Co because it enriches their coffers.

The news media does not want you to know that Mike Huckabee & Ron Paul are right - Huckabee & Paul were the clear, honest choice of hard-working Iowaians who did not have their ticket purchased and transportation provided

Mitt Romney BOUGHT his Iowa Straw Poll win - through the purchase of a bunch of tickets and nice lunches.

The news media does not want you to know that Mike Huckabee & Ron Paul are right - Huckabee & Paul were the clear, honest choice of hard-working Iowaians who did not have their ticket purchased and transportation provided!

[cattlekate]

Why aren't Mitt's FIVE (count 'em!) strapping, healthy, WEALTHY young boys joining the military, which Mitt says should be built up ("Family, Economy, and enlarging the MILITARY are his priorities),

joining the US military which their chickenhawk father says should be in Iraq to make sure those lucrative 75% PSA's stay in place?

The crappy answers his camp gives ("OH! They are working for their dad and driving the campaign bus!" "Oh! They served their Mormon missions of 'their God' instead!" "Oh! It's a volunteer army!") DO NOT answer the question.

So five US military boys DIED this weekend. Why can't those Romney boys ENLIST and take their place?

I ask because I am the Mom of a military-age son, WHO CANNOT AFFORD A COLLEGE DEFERMENT, and lived through the mid-to-late sixties and early seventies when my Mom could not get the mail because of the possibility of that awful Selective Service notice.

My Mom and Dad tried their hardest to keep my brother in college, and get a deferment, but we did not have the money to pay for each year's tuition -

until my Mother's tears and about ten family members stepped up to pay for my brother's tuition and the resultant deferment.

My Mom and Dad were not like Mitt's Nixon Administration Dad - George Romney, AND THE MORMON CHURCH,

who could buy Mitt a deferment!

[prinzowhales]

Here's the site I neglected to include in my last post:

http://massresistance.org/docs/marriage/romney/record/

In any event, in both Ohio and Florida, voting machines were used to corrupt the election results. And, they were selected by the Republican establishment to corrupt the Iowa straw poll results. No paper trail...no recount...no way to challenged the results. That Romney supported this, shows that he will stop at nothing to win, that the democratic system's subversion is of no interest to him if it serves his interests to subvert it.

When we look at the effort that he put into Iowa and the meagre results, it is anyone's guess whether or not he can spin this relative failure into campaign momentum.

[killtheliars]

what does not make sense is that 26,000 tickets were sold for this straw poll event but only a little over 14,000 votes were counted. Sounds like we have another case were votes where thrown out. I would be willing to bet it was votes for anti-war, anti-iraq, anti-patriot act candidates.

[prinzowhales]

Here's a site that shows you a bit of the real Mitt Romney. While I don't endorse all of the criticism of Romney in the article, I think its interesting that he kicked the Boy Scouts out of the 2002 Olympics, supported the adoption of children by *** and gave State funds to organizations supporting gay youth. He was listed by HUMAN EVENTS as one of the top "Republican in Name Only"...I guess he has yet to bugger a congressional page...the final rite of passage before becoming a bona fide Republican. I don't support giving tax money to any group because of their sexuality, race, creed, etc.. Unfortunately, in modern dumbed down and pudenda obsessed America, a politician, to be successful, must play to the house.

He said that General Pace's comments on homosexuality were 'inappropriate for public discourse' on Larry King. Here's a man who wants to be all things to all men and doesn't mind chastising others for speaking their mind.

He didn't raise taxes, but he did increase fees by $500 million to balance the budget and create a surplus. I still haven't found an analysis of his cuts and the mechanics of the surplus generation. I want to find out if he did this by putting items and accounts 'off budget'...

[killtheliars]

Iowa Straw Poll Results

Mitt Romney: 4,516 votes
Mike Huckabee: 2,587 votes
Sam Brownback: 2,192 votes
Tom Tancredo: 1,961 votes
Ron Paul: 1,305 votes
Tommy Thompson: 1,039 votes
Fred Thompson: 203 votes
Rudy Giuliani: 183 votes
Duncan Hunter: 174 votes
John McCain: 101 votes
John Cox: 41 votes

Looks like momentum for Ron Paul is building, whith another year and a half to go he could win.

[tbweb]

I watched the Fox News Sunday interview Chris Wallace did with Mitt Romney after he won the Iowa Straw Poll. The interview was going pretty good until Mitt Romney started talking about his accomplishments in Massachusetts and then Chris Wallace dropped these bombs! Chris Wallace pointed out that while Governor, Massachusetts ranked 3rd lowest in the nation for creating new jobs during his term and would have ranked 2nd lowest if Louisiana didn't suffer the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Massachusetts also had the 3rd worst record in the nation for Manufacturing Employment down 14% during his term. Massachusetts also had the 3rd highest population lost during his term, an estimated 220,000 residents left the state! Chris pointed out that researchers from North Eastern University reported Massachusetts had the worst Economic performance in the country during Mitt Romney's term. Chris Wallace also asked Mitt Romney what was he thinking when he took a family vacation and mounted his dog on top of his vehicle for a 12 hour road trip that's against the Law in Massachusetts and had animal rights activist freaking out, Mitt claims his dog liked it up there! LOL Finally Chris asked Mitt about his assertion his 5 sons are not serving in the military because they serve the nation by helping him get elected President and now Mitt Romney says he mis-spoke! Maybe Governor Huckabee is right, Mitt Romney is the cereal box and not the cereal.

[coffeehead-2009]

If you want 4 more years of Bush then vote for any of the Republicans.
Posted by qwaszx1


I dunno - Ron Paul WHIPPED but on the msnbc survey of the debate in CA. One Demo for Paul...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18436681

[brianbwb-2009]

"The Department of Homeland Security is funneling millions of dollars to local governments nationwide for purchasing high-tech video camera networks, accelerating the rise of a %u201Csurveillance society%u201D in which the sense of freedom that stems from being anonymous in public will be lost, privacy rights advocates warn."

Don't worry, the money will be embezzled by the local government, and the leftover will buy shoddy equipment incapable of doing the job anyway.

[brianbwb-2009]

They are all corrupt, no matter who, or from which side, the war profit money is too big for them to resist, so we will get another four years of the Bush wars, and the abrogations of the constitution required for their continuance.