Romney Wins Iowa Straw Poll As Expected

Associated Press/Peoplepc Online ^ | August 11, 2007 | Amy Lorentzen

[Turret Gunner A20]

AMES, Iowa - Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney won an easy and expected victory in a high-profile Iowa Republican Party Straw Poll on Saturday, claiming nearly twice as many votes as his nearest rival.

[onedoug]

Romney is an American don’t cha’know.

The results speak well to me, anyway.

[Paladin2]

Iowa pop est = 3,000,000. Straw poll meaningless (<50,000).

[Ferox]

As one that hasn’t decided on a candidate yet, I don’t place much weight on the Iowa Caucus; however, I do hope that some of the field will be narrowed. I’ve lived in Iowa, and it’s all about money and organization when it comes to the straw poll. The GOP candidate basically buys the vote in Iowa. It’s completely different when it comes to the dems. The unions control the dems in Iowa along with the most radicalized group of people that you’ve ever seen. They could be a study in abnormal psychology.

[Perchant]

Who gets to vote in this meaningless poll?

[JCEccles]

Yeah, it’s all meaningless. Hell, Romney didn’t do anything but throw money at a bunch of corn-shucking rubes too stupid to know any better.

[balch3]

meaningless since Fred wasn’t there.

[Paladin2]

I’m a strong supporter of Romney against any ‘rat. Romney has a strong track record as an executive (Bidness, olympics, guberner). He could be expected to govern as a representative of the governed (different from those of MA persuasion).

[REDWOOD99]

Whoa! You, sir, are a sad case!

[Paladin2]

See #27

[Last Dakotan]

Poor showing for Rudy.

[ClaireSolt]

I do not think it is meaningless to be able to get 14,000 activists out and jazzed for Republicans. Does anyone know why they say attendance was 30,000 but only 14,000 voted? Please tell me where MCain and Rudy found audiences this size this weekend.

[Perchant]

Does anyone know why they say attendance was 30,000 but only 14,000 voted?

Bump that.

[byteback]

Only Iowans can vote. Attendance is allowed by anyone who wants to make the trek.

[msnpatriot]

One observation:

It was a pleasure to just be able to listen to the candidates speak freely, so unlike the debates.

I am really getting tired of the CNN & MSNBC moderators cutting off the candidates when they’re saying something interesting. They even tried to cut off Romney’s Dr. Strangelove comment by interrupting, but it didn’t work.

Idea: Why couldn't the Republican debates be held at the straw poll and other Republican events?

Why not get a sharp conservative to moderate, somebody like John fund, or Rush, or even Hannity, have Fox News televise it, and deliver a true quality debate?

[freekitty]

So Mitt spent a lot of money. That shouldn’t say he is the best qualified. Look at Hitlery.

[Dragonspirit]

Rock on Mitt!

[onedoug]

What kind of shucking takes place in your lofty abode?

[holyscroller]

"Romney Wins Iowa Straw Poll As Expected"

Expected by whom? Surely not by me! Interesting comments about the crowd EV. I'll keep your observation in mind when this poll is mentioned.

[WFTR]

The whole event may be a "meaningless" fundraiser for the party, but if my state's party threw a big event of this kind and I could pay $35 to vote for the candidate of my choice, I'd go to the event, make the donation to the party, and cast a vote for my candidate. Whether he could win would be irrelevant. Whether he was campaigning would be irrelevant. I'd want to show that support for the party and my candidate. Obviously, there are only around 200 people in Iowa who feel that way about Rudy Giuliani and only 100 who feel that way about John McCain.

Bill

[EDINVA]

If Romney spent only $5M in Iowa, for a presidential campaign that’s a bargain .. the Straw Poll effect carries into the IA caucuses, which start things rolling into the primaries. This straw poll is not insignificant to the candidates, and for a mere $5M, Romney bought lots of momentum.