Free Republic

'Do one in Naples, one in Marco Island. You know, whatever you need to do.' Back in Iowa Saturday morning, Ron DeSantis said he wanted snowbirds visiting the Sunshine State to be able to vote without going back home. The 2024 presidential candidate told supporters in Muscadine that he wanted caucus sites in Southwest Florida. “But I do know with so many people that go down in Florida, I have to figure out — I may petition the Iowa Republican Party to have some caucus sites in Southwest Florida,” the Governor quipped. “So people could just go, I mean, do...

Des Moines- As early season political scouts, the role of Iowa Republicans likely to attend the state’s first-in-the-nation 2016 precinct caucuses next February is more about cutting the field of recruits to the starting five than it is picking the party’s eventual MVP. Another step in that process took place last night when more than 1,300 GOP activists turned out for the party’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner to audition 12 presidential prospects seeking to earn one of the coveted tickets out of Iowa in their quest to land the Republican nomination at the national convention in Cleveland in July 2016....

A recount of the Jan. 3 Iowa Republican caucus results has Rick Santorum leading Mitt Romney in the race for the GOP presidential nomination by 34 votes, with data from 8 precincts missing and never to be certified, GOP officials told The Des Moines Register on Wednesday. Despite Santorum's advantage, the state Republican party views the results as a wash.

Morning Score and Jonathan Martin report: The Iowa Republican Party will start the countdown clock today for the Aug. 13 Ames straw poll, holding what is effectively a real estate auction among the presidential candidates for space at the event. The party has provided the 2012 campaigns with maps of the straw poll grounds, including the possible spots that candidates can occupy there. The cost of a spot is $15,000 – but not all spots are created equal, with some closer to the main entrance, and the bidding only increases from there.Each campaign is allowed to send two representatives to...

The pursuit of endorsements from Iowa’s key GOP politicians creates a new dynamic for presidential candidates. Unlike the 2008 Caucus, when Steve King was the only major elected office holder who offered an endorsement, Iowa has four top Republican officials who could play a key role in 2012. Last week’s news that Senator Charles Grassley plans to endorse a candidate as early as this summer has campaigns angling for his affection. The key to an impactful endorsement is whether or not it comes with the full political weight of the endorser. Will the endorser’s staff, advisors, donors, and top volunteers...

Fred Thompson has picked up endorsements from three state representatives - Kraig Paulsen of Cedar Rapids, Jeff Kaufmann of Wilton and Jamie Van Fossen of Davenport -- bringing his total to six. Mitt Romney still has a prohibitive lead with 16, followed by John McCain with eight. (Table at link)

The upcoming Republican Party of Iowa Presidential Debate, scheduled to be televised on FOX News Channel on December 4, 2007, has been cancelled due to candidate scheduling conflicts. RPI is disappointed that Iowans will not have the same opportunity that Republicans in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida had earlier this year with their nationally televised debates. A debate in Iowa leading up to January 3, 2008, would have displayed Iowa's unique caucus system, and possibly garnered more viewers and attention than any other debate given its proximity to the caucuses. Republican Party of Iowa Executive Director Chuck Laudner said,...

It's about freaking time. The Iowa Republican Party put out an advisory Tuesday setting standards for participation in a Dec. 4 debate it is sponsoring with Fox News. The phone has been ringing off the hook ever since.That's because the sponsors said participants need to average 5% support among Republicans in recent national or Iowa polls -- and so far, Texas Rep. Ron Paul is one of the candidates not making the cut. Of course the PaulBots went into action: News of the party's decision and how to protest it was spread quickly over the Internet by supporters of the...

Republican Party of Iowa to host presidential debate in DES MOINES Debate to be nationally televised by FOX NEWS CHANNEL The Republican Party of Iowa announced today that it will hold its presidential debate at Hy-Vee Hall in downtown Des Moines. The event, to be held the evening of December 4, 2007, will be the first debate in Iowa to be televised by FOX News Channel this election season, as well as the first debate sponsored by the Republican Party of Iowa. Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Ray Hoffmann said, “With the caucuses less than a month away, our December...

The Iowa Republican Party and Fox News Channel announced today plans for a Dec. 4 debate of the GOP presidential campaigns in Des Moines. The Tuesday evening event is scheduled for Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines and comes as the race to the Jan. 3 caucuses enters its final month. It was unclear who would attend, although only those candidates who had support of at least 5 percent of those surveyed in recent national polls or The Des Moines Register’s Iowa Poll are invited, Iowa GOP officials said. That would include former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former New York Mayor...

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...