Posted on 06/26/2007 11:44:34 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Former Sen. Fred Thompson has taken his first step toward organizing a campaign for Iowa's leadoff presidential nominating caucuses by hiring a top Iowa Republican campaign staff member, aides to Thompson confirmed Monday.
Thompson has signed Andrew Dorr to serve as his Midwest political director should the actor and Tennessee Republican run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008.
"This is the kind of stellar team Senator Thompson is attracting as he continues to move forward in his determinations," Thompson spokesman Mark Corallo said. "It means Senator Thompson will be ready, should he decide to run, and will have the right team in place to be successful when it's time to go to the caucuses."
Dorr most recently worked as 2006 GOP gubernatorial nominee Jim Nussle's political director, having started in Iowa caucus politics in 2000 for then-Gov. George W. Bush. Dorr, 28, later worked for Bush's re-election campaign as deputy Midwest political director, concentrating on Iowa.
Thompson is expected to announce his plans in the coming weeks. This month he formed an organization that allows him to raise money to hire staff and travel as he decides whether to join the crowded 2008 GOP candidate field.
He has not decided yet whether he will participate in the Ames straw poll, a high-profile Iowa GOP fundraiser set for mid-August.
Details for the event are taking shape while state party officials await word from Thompson.
Iowa Republican Party officials have set the speaking order and determined where each of the eight candidates planning to attend the party fundraising event will pitch their tents around Iowa State University's Hilton Coliseum on Aug. 11.
Thompson was not represented at a meeting in Des Moines last week where the presidential campaigns planning to attend the Ames event were assigned their spots, officials said.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has been the most aggressive about organizing for the fundraiser, will start the series of 20-minute speeches at 12:30 p.m.
Romney will be followed by U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, Chicago businessman John Cox, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter of California, former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas.
The eight have committed at least $15,000 each to reserve space to feed and entertain their supporters and other activists.
Individual tickets cost $35 and allow holders to vote at one of dozens of voting machines set up in and around Hilton.
In the past, campaigns have bought blocks of tickets and often bused their supporters to the event.
Earlier this month, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said he would not prepare for the costly straw poll arrangements, and Sen. John McCain of Arizona abandoned his plans to compete in the straw poll. Their names will still be on the ballot.
Giuliani's and McCain's decisions have thrown into question the significance of the Ames event to the 2008 presidential nomination race. The event has become a traditional first test of Republican candidates' strength in Iowa, the leadoff caucus state.
Chuck Laudner, executive director of the Iowa Republican Party, said Fred Thompson would be inserted into the speaking lineup should he decide to participate in the straw poll.
"If Fred gets in or the others change their mind, they'll get put in the middle," Laudner said. "The others don't want to wait on planning their day."
“Thank goodness. I don’t want a candidate who can win Mass. or NH”
Yeah Regan was such a crappy candidate.
A new Willardian Troll in our midst!
His "big Iowa grab" was the assistant director for the midwest from a winning Presidential campaign.
“Iowa is winnable for Fred.”
He is definately within striking distamce.
Mason Dixon
Romney 25%
Thompson 17%
Giuliani 15%
McCain 6%
LOL! I smell someone who can’t defend their candidates inability to win in Iowa!
Yeah, but Mitt has nicer hair!
I LOVE this!!! Hilarious:)
Straw Poll != Caucus
Oh, sorry. I was unaware Fred had lost Iowa. Silly me, I thought that's what the poll was for.
Time will tell.
Maybe Mitt's hair and Edwards' hair will abandon their masters and run on the Unity '08 ticket, edging out Bloomberg.
“Iowa is winnable for Fred.”
If Romney drops out and fred comes down from the perch you and I call the internet.
A whole weekend- wow, that makes you an expert all right.
I’m here full time and if Fred gets in the straw poll I will go and vote for him. If not the whole thing will be meaningless because without Fred, Mc Lame, and the NY lib Romney will have no real competition.
But regardless Fred still can win the caucus in January.
Something comes to mind here...something about counting chickens before they’ve hatched...
I wonder if Romney is paying him to post on this site?
He must have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express for the WHOLE weekend!
You know, be careful what you ask for. If Thompson is doing this well when he's "not campaigning" (despite going all over the country, plus foreign visits, and issuing nearly daily political commentaries), imagine how well he'll do once he starts.
Reagan won virtually every state. That is not happening this time.
Only until Fred stomps into the state.
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.