[elizabetty]

Can the people in the poll vote for a candidate even if he is not there?

The people of Iowa are going to take this personally and hold it against the dropouts and no shows. If Mitt Romney is there asking for their votes and making them feel important they will remember that come caucus time.

A bad move by all not going and it makes them look like Girlie Men.

[iowamark]

The Iowa Straw Poll will have all of the candidates’ names on the ballot, including Guiliani and McCain. The announcements today that Rudy and McCain will not be appearing at the straw poll is essentially an announcement that they are abandoning a national campaign.