2012 Iowa Caucus Live Thread

Iowa GOP ^ | 1.3.12 | Free Vulcan

[Free Vulcan]

Live thread to cover today's GOP caucus. News, predictions, opinions, totals, and the like.

Will be heading out about 4 pm or so to get our site ready and do a final review with the precinct chairs. I expect it to be bigger than 2008 with very heavy turnout and we are preparing for that.

We are also ready for disruptions. They simply won't be tolerated. The state party sent us a memo saying if there's any trouble call the cops immediately. Anyone trying to cause problems is going to get a rude awakening.

My predictions of the outcome are a narrow field with about a 10 point spread for the top five with Bachmann far behind in single digits:

Santorum - 24 Romney - 22 Paul - 20 Perry - 17 Gingrich - 14 Bachmann - 4 The Rest - 1

Think things are still in flux and many won't decide till right to the wire, so I'm not terribly confident of any predictions.

[nutmeg]

For those interested, Neil C has good coverage on FBN.

Thanks! We'll switch back 'n forth between Bret Baier / Megyn Kelly and Neil Cavuto on FBN.

[who knows what evil?]

CBS News Break just reported that the IA race appears to be among Romney, Paul and Santorum, based on internal data.

...and the SOURCE of that 'internal data'..?

Yeah...pulled it out of their *ss again...that seems to be the 'source' for many so-called 'journalists' nowadays...

[parksstp]

The joke is apparentally on the Tea Party and Conservatives.

How does crap like this happen? The man is a walking anti-war, anti-semitic, retard that belongs in a retirement home. I sick of this crap. I mean, my God, with idiots like these, how the Hell did Reagan win his two elections? 49% of the caucus votes are libtards and Rombots. Holy crap. Not a chance in Hell the GOP takes IA in November. Not with these moronic voters.

[rwfromkansas]

Eh. It’s just Iowa. I really don’t care much about tonight.

Pretty meaningless. Now if the Perry’s and Bachmann’s stay in the race after NH then we will have problems.....

[onyx]

Hopefully. I am sick to death of Iowa being first. Open registration, on site tonight. Give us a break!

[Matchett-PI]

bttt

[Proudcongal]

I hope Ron Paul wins it.

It would make Iowa a joke and it would be a slap in the face to Mitty.

Me too, if Newt can't win. Then I want to see Newt come down to SC and FL and kick Romney's butt, give him a taste of his own medicine.

[Irish Eyes]

Fox covering a caucus just talked right over Rick Perry. Megan Kellly just would not shut up , you could hear Perry quite well when she took a breath. He was talking to the caucus

Now they are giving complete coverage to Ann Romney. No talking over her ??

[Reagan69]

Yea ! Ron is in the lead so far.

Go Ron !

[TomGuy]

As I understand it, the caucus groups meet and the doors are shut. Each candidate or his/her representative gives a brief (3 minute?) presentation. Then they vote.

So, probably 8:00 is a fair time that the actual voting starts.

[onyx]

Me too! GO NEWT - Go directly to South Carolina and Florida!

[SamAdams76]

C-SPAN is showing voters actually casting ballots on green cards. I saw one woman writing on the ballot Mitt Romney. She thought nobody was watching but the C-SPAN camera was trained on her and I definitely saw her make the double "T" at the end of Mitt. Then again, it could have been Newt with a funny looking "w". But she definitely ended the first word with a "T" as I saw her go back and cross it before moving on to the last name. It looked like she made a "Y" at the end of the second word but it could just as easily have been an "H".

The people in this particular auditorium seem awfully nervous for some reason and the speaker is looking on the floor as he speaks.

The ballots are now being dumped into plastic pails in a separate room.

Maybe I am just overanalyzing things.

[BigEdLB]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/campaign-2012/IA/live-map/

29-23-18-15
Santorum - Paul - Romney - Gingrich

[goodnesswins]

I have friends who tested whether they could vote twice, and they said they could not......so which is it???

[Boston Blackie]

Relax, its not worth having a heart attack. Democrats can cross over and vote for Ron Paul and I believe the same thing is permissible in SC.

[RitaOK]

I am recalling the debates when there were moments where I was very proud of nearly all our candidates, but for Romney Ruse. Even Ron Paul is no pretender making points with which we all can agree. Romney was gauze.

Ballots starting LIVE on CSPAN now.

[Theodore R.]

I just came back from walking my Chihuahua and found $20 in the road. I guess I can send it to Santorum. Santorum 2012.

[manc]

paul should not be running on the GOP ticket as he is not a republican and should not be allowed anywhere near our platform.

On top of that he is spouted his lunatic message on our ticket, used our platform and now is sending out lies after lies with the help of his druggie lunatics

[gov_bean_ counter]

Pelley was practically wetting himself while delivering that information. He loves it that a socialist and a nut job are leading.

[SamAdams76]

C-SPAN shows them counting the ballots live. They are separating them into piles as I type this. It’s hard to see who’s ahead but it definitely looks like Romney and Paul are getting bigger piles.