Posted on 05/17/2011 3:48:17 AM PDT by iowamark
The decision by Mike Huckabee to forgo another presidential bid means that the former governor of Arkansas won’t be seeking back-to-back victories in the the Iowa caucuses...
But even as the wide-open nature of Iowa would seem to heighten the importance of the state in the nomination battle, some in the party have openly questioned whether the state’s Republican voters are so conservative that the outcome of its caucuses is irrelevant.
“Iowa Republicans have marginalized themselves to the point where competing in Iowa has become optional,” Fergus Cullen, a former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, wrote over the weekend.
“It’s hard to talk about real issues when three-quarters of the audience wears tinfoil hats,” he added.
That was just too much for Terry E. Branstad, the Republican governor of Iowa, who called a news conference on Monday morning to respond to Mr. Cullen and to urge Republican candidates to visit the state often.
“I don’t think he’s ever been here. At least, I’ve never seen him,” Mr. Branstad said of Mr. Cullen. “Certainly, his characterization of Iowa Republicans is way off.”
Branstad insisted that Iowa remains a “full-spectrum” state that provides the best testing ground for candidates looking to develop a message that can win around the country.
Asked about Senator John McCain of Arizona, who skipped the state in 2008 and went on to with the nomination, Mr. Branstad was dismissive.
“I wouldn’t look to his campaign in terms of how to run a successful campaign and be elected president,” Mr. Branstad told reporters on Monday. He noted that the Iowa straw poll, a summertime test of presidential preferences, is only 89 days away.
In fact, the campaign schedule suggests that the current crop of Republican candidates is beginning to pay attention to the state...
(Excerpt) Read more at thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com ...
The 2011 Ames Straw Poll is August 13, 2011 at Iowa State University in Ames.
“some in the party have openly questioned whether the state’s Republican voters are so conservative that the outcome of its caucuses is irrelevant.”
Conservative, as long as you like ethanol.
The NY Times gets it right. whodathunkit?
These two have phenomenally outsized influence leaving most states' voters disenfranchised in the nomination process.
Anything that marginalizes Iowa and its ethanol subsidy addiction is a good thing.
No doubt that the Iowa Caucuses have given us the ethanol scam. The whole system with Iowa and NH having so much weight is what screws us. There’s not much fiscal conservatism in either state.
But you gotta love the NH governor calling Iowa a “tin hat” state with NH’s habit of allowing all kinds of dregs to vote in their primaries.
“It’s hard to talk about real issues when three-quarters of the audience wears tinfoil hats,” he added. “
Let me guess, this guy is on the left side of the spectrum and doesn't appreciate the fact we have (some) conservative voters here in Iowa?
Anyway, what a immature and uninformed comment for someone from his state to say.
Yeah and these same assholes are the ones that we will destroy and purge from the party. newt said this very same thing two weeks ago... the media was hiding it... but after Levin's surgical strike on newt LIVE yesterday... newtie is finished... he and his ilk will be purged. This is the nelson rockefeller repubic elite that hate all of us and they are motivated by their wives that are members of NOW. They LOVE them some abortion and they love them some big government and they hate GOD because they embrace ALL that GOD has warned us to shun. Rush has spoken of being approached to help crush our social issues and this is what Rush has explained in detail as to who and what these people are.
LLS
Are you referring to NH's policy of allowing MAssholes to immigrate and then vote for MA policies?
Yes, MAssholes and indies and all kinds of folks who have nothing in common with the Republican base voter — but who have outsized impact on the GOP nominee.
With the earlier primary in Florida, as Florida goes, so goes the nation.
That was Iowa’s guv speaking.
Both Iowa and New Hampshire are far less relevant than either state wishes to believe. Florida and South Carolina will have much more impact on the eventual nominee.
NH also lets anyone vote in any primary—with their de facto open primary tradition. (Voters just maintain independent status or switch to whichever party’s primary they want to vote in in advance of the election.)
Newby, please.
I don't even remember Huck's position on ethanol but by pro-lifers, he was considered to be the strongest and that is why he won Iowa.
Too bad some of those voting Huck didn't look at the whole picture and realize there were actually others who were more conservative on many issues than Huck.
Stolen from a fellow FReeper:
Here I am,
Rock you like a Herman Cain!
I love it!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.