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Iowa Governor Terry Branstad has said it many times recently. But each time he says it, he likely makes it more apparent the Republican Party of Iowa has held its final Straw Poll. “We’ve had discussions,” Branstad said Monday morning of his talks with top party leaders about what could replace the straw poll in 2015. Branstad several times said it will be up to his party’s state central committee to make the final decision on whether to end the straw poll, a much-watched event his party has held since 1979. The party holds the straw poll in August in...

DES MOINES — Gov. Terry Branstad says he would support a statewide Republican fundraising event in Ames next summer where GOP presidential hopefuls are invited to speak as long as no vote is taken as had been the practice during past straw polls that have been the focus of controversy. Branstad added that he did not want to see Iowa face possible sanctions that could cost delegates to the 2016 Republican national convention for conducting a poll in advance of the state’s first-in-the-nation caucuses that could run afoul of new party rules. “I’m willing to agree to a statewide meeting...

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In just over a week, thousands of Republican activists from across Iowa will descend on Ames for the Republican presidential straw poll. The exercise will have no concrete bearing on who ultimately wins the GOP presidential nomination. In fact, it’s often derided as a political beauty contest with candidates practically bribing participants to support them with offers of free bus rides, food, entertainment and air-conditioned tents. “It’s a media event is what it is,” said Steffen Schmidt, a political science professor at Iowa State University in Ames. “If there were no reporters, it would be like the sound of a...

Sources tell TheIowaRepublican.com that the speaking order for the Ames Straw Poll has been determined. Candidates were able to place their name in a speaking slot based on the amount they paid for their lot on the grounds at the Iowa State Center. That means that Ron Paul had first pick of when he wanted to speak at the event since he paid the most for his space. Paul will speak second, behind Rick Santorum. Here is the speaking order that was given to TheIowaRepublican.com: Rick Santorum Ron Paul Tim Pawlenty Michele Bachmann Thad McCotter Herman Cain Quick Thoughts: Santorum...

We'll have more on this shortly, but Kay Henderson reports that Rick Perry and Sarah Palin have been left off the Ames Straw Poll ballot after a meeting of the Iowa GOP's state central committee today:

For the next month, the 2012 Republican presidential race is all about Ames. As in Ames, Iowa, home of Iowa State University and one of the quadrennial rites of passage for any Republican presidential contest: the Ames Straw Poll. The poll, which will be held on Aug. 13, amounts to a fundraiser for the Iowa Republican Party. But since 1979 it has also been regarded as a key early test of strength in the Hawkeye State. Although the highest recorded turnout for the event is just north of 23,000, in 1999, Ames has real consequences. After a sixth-place finish there...

Mitt Romney’s refusal to participate in the Republican Party of Iowa’s straw poll in Ames doesn’t seem to be hurting the event. Four years ago, the decision by Rudy Giuliani and John McCain to skip the straw poll put the whole event in doubt, but this year, the news about Romney seemed to be expected. Just like four years ago, the current national frontrunner has chosen not to participate in the event. National political pundits and Romney’s operatives have said it is the right move for a frontrunner to make, but what Romney’s absence really creates is a stronger, more...

Reporters have been breathlessly and endlessly covering every event and comment in the 2008 race for the White House. In what may be the longest election coverage in history, a look at the Republican nomination process raises questions as to whether the reporters are paying attention to the things that really matter. The most recent example of this is the straw poll held in Ames, Iowa a couple of weeks ago. Despite the fact that leading prospects such as Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, and John McCain did not participate, the press coverage hailed the event as being terribly significant. The...

I'm pleased to report that the FredHead Express team made it safely back in Texas. The response in Iowa was really great. More often than not, our table had people in front of it giving us encouragement and begging for Fred stuff. A bunch of people from the rival campaigns dropped by to (quietly) tell us they'd be backing Fred once he's in. Some whispered that they'd voted for Fred in the poll. A McCain supporter told us the McCain folks sent out an "alert" once they found out we were there. We all got a kick out of that...

What the Media Should Report About the Ames Straw Poll David Terr Lead Analyst Ph.D. Math; Berkeley 8/12/07 Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul Were Clear Winners, Mitt Romney Was a Loser "Often, however, the media do not actually interpret poll results, but instead present simple, straightforward descriptive statements about them... Measures of association, correlation analysis, and multivariate statistical analyses are virtually nonexistent" - Asher, Ohio State University I would first like to congratulate Mitt Romney for his impressive win at the Ames Straw Poll before I start criticizing him and tell you what the media is not reporting. Candidate Official...

To revise the old Woody Allen line: Eighty percent of success is not showing up. While Mitt Romney may have nominally "won" the Iowa Straw Poll over the weekend, the real victors were the ones who stayed away from Ames: Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, and Fred Thompson (who has made something of an art of not showing up, in recent months). The paradox could mean the end of the straw poll as a GOP touchstone. And that would be nothing but good news for the Republican Party. Let's look first at how Mr. Romney comes out of all of this....

By the time the writing of this sentence is finished, Tommy Thompson should be out of the presidential race. The 67-year-old former Wisconsin Governor and Bush cabinet member had been unusually honest in playing the expectation game before today’s Iowa Straw Poll. “I've said all along that if I don't come in first or second, I'll drop out of the race,'' he reminded the media earlier this week. Well, the votes are now in and tallied, and Mr. Thompson came in sixth. If this does indeed mean death-by-straw-poll for the Thompson effort, it can be considered a mercy killing. His...

Republican presidential candidates transformed the campus of Iowa State University into a conservative carnival Saturday, competing for votes by offering free soda and barbecue and a promise of shade for the thousands who braved the 100-degree heat to attend this year's straw poll. The activists came by the busload, more than 30,000 in all, for the first voting of the 2008 presidential campaign. But for many, casting ballots was an afterthought as they made their way past huge stages with live bands, inflatable bouncy rooms for the kids and fair-style booths touting one conservative cause after another. The Iowa Right...

New York, California and Florida have muscled their way near the top of this year's primary schedule, but the Iowa caucus may still pack a huge punch. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson, the "Law & Order" actor and former Tennessee senator, are fighting for the conservative vote along with Arizona Sen. John McCain. While none of them would be knocked out by a loss in Iowa, their campaigns would be unlikely to fully recover. The Iowa Republican Party's straw poll at Iowa State University in Ames on Saturday is typically a preview of the January caucus. And...

Is Fred Thompson running for president and, if so, why is he waiting so long to announce? That two-part question is being asked a lot. The answer to the first part is yes. But, speculation as to why the former Tennessee senator/Hollywood actor is taking so long to make a formal announcement is up for interpretation. A few views - some legitimate and some not: 1. He is waiting to announce simply because he can. Since news broke last March that Thompson was considering a presidential run, interest in his candidacy has consistently risen. He has gone from not registering...

Of all the preseason games in the run-up to the GOP nomination, none is more crucial than the Iowa Straw Poll. As usual, it will be held in Ames, on Saturday, Aug. 11 Analysts have downgraded its importance since McCain and Rudy dropped out. They are mistaken. The McCain-Giuliani forfeiture of the straw poll already testifies to its importance -- and to their weaknesses. Rudy dropped out first. Why? His front-runner image would have been shattered had he been routed at Ames. Rather than risk a beating, Rudy quit. By dropping out, he concedes that, today, he lacks the troops...