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A recent RP update newsletter:

Thanks to the generous donations of supporters around the country, the campaign has purchased 500 red tickets and will make them available at no charge to eligible Iowan residents who have yet to purchase a ticket for the straw poll. In addition to voting, this red ticket will allow access to the Hilton Coliseum where the candidate speeches will be delivered.

Subject to the provisions below, these tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis to those of you currently without tickets. Please contact our field coordinator, Heather Olson, at heather@ronpaul2008.com and you will receive a voucher for a ticket that can be picked up at the straw poll.

In addition, the grassroots raised $10,000 for tickets and then a CA lawyer offered to buy up to $5,000 in tickets, totaling another 428 tickets on top of these 500 the campaign already bought. Although some lib idiots like NPR keep saying the tickets are only $25 (the 1999 price), they're $35 each.

In the last open GOP primary in 1999, the straw poll was attended by over 40,000. But only 23,000 ballots were cast.

So 928 tickets is 4% of 23,000. Unless attendance is much higher than in 1999, we have a decent baseline. In 1999, there was no strong favorite among the college kids. We'll see how strong RP's support is with them.

Despite claiming he's not participating, Giuliani is doing a lot of campaigning. If his numbers look good, I bet he'll show up. And even though he remains undeclared, the Iowa GOP decided to put Fred Thompson on the ballot. Well, their fundraiser, their choice.