Nine Republican presidential candidates will square off in August at the Iowa straw poll, the first battle in the long campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, but some big names are sitting the event out. With Iowa holding the first presidential caucus, some of the candidates are looking to build momentum in that key state.
On Saturday, the Iowa Republican State Central Committee unveiled the list of candidates who will compete in the straw poll in Ames on Aug. 13. Six candidates whose teams have purchased space at the event -- U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, businessman Herman Cain, U.S. Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and former U.S. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania will participate. So will three candidates who have downplayed the poll -- former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich of Georgia, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the current front-runner for the nomination.
Candidates who have left the door open to running but who have not officially announced -- including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Gov. Rick Perry of Texas -- will not be included in the straw poll. Neither will some of the dark-horse candidates in the field, such as former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, activist Fred Karger, former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore and former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer.
Some candidates -- particularly, Pawlenty -- have put a lot of stock into the results from Ames as a gauge of how their campaigns will do in the Iowa caucus. Candidates have dropped out of the presidential race before after a poor showing in the straw poll. Tommy Thompson pulled out of the race in 2007 after taking sixth place with 7 percent, and Lamar Alexander pulled the plug on his presidential campaign in 1999 after taking sixth with 6 percent.
Despite the importance some camps give the event, the straw poll often creates phantom shows of support for candidates who ultimately go nowhere. In 2007, Sam Brownback came in third place with Tom Tancredo in fourth, while John McCain --who downplayed the event --came in 10th. While McCain went on to win the nomination, neither Brownback nor Tancredo even made it to the Iowa caucus. Elizabeth Dole placed third in the 1999 straw poll and did not get to the Iowa caucus. Phil Gramm tied Bob Dole in first in the 1995 straw poll but didn't make it to the New Hampshire primary.
With less than three weeks to go until the straw poll, the various presidential campaigns are starting to focus on Iowa.
Starting Tuesday, Santorum will be visiting 50 towns and cities across Iowa with his family to build support for his underdog campaign.
"We are excited about the opportunity to spend our summer in Iowa," Santorum said last week when he made the announcement. "The reception I have received from the people of Iowa over the past year has been wonderful, and I cannot wait for my entire family to experience the many sights and sounds our heartland has to offer. This is a crucial time in our nation's history, and the people of Iowa play a key role in helping to put our nation back on track.We need to have the courage to fight for the values that made America the greatest nation in the history of the world, and my entire family looks forward to continuing our dialogue about the issues facing our families, our communities, and our country."
Santorum also named his Iowa steering committee on Friday, selecting 25 conservative leaders across the state including RNC National Committeewoman Kim Lehma, who also served as president of Iowa Right-to-Life, Ben Lange, who ran for Congress in 2010, and Iowa state Rep. Walt Rogers.
Pawlenty started a tour of Iowa last week and continues it this week with almost 20 events planned across the state. His team also unveiled a new commercial last week which is running in Iowa.
Surging in many state and national polls, Bachmann, who has played up the fact she was born in Iowa, continues to tour the state as well, holding events and rallies over the weekend and on Monday. Paul has also started to increase the pace of his campaigning in Iowa, speaking in Ames on Monday.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
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