Earlier today, I said: Jonathan Martin is reporting that Sam Brownback, among others, has buses: An Iowa Republican said that Romney was bringing about 125 onto the campus of Iowa State University and Brownback just over 100. Tommy Thompson is bringing the third most, about 75. What I don’t understand Read more…
So Mitt Romney has won a number of straw polls by packing them. Reporters get the joke and have stopped covering them, but the Romney campaign knows that it can put these victories on mail pieces and ads. Normally, the question is whether the damage that occurs over the bad Read more…
In Q1, the refrain from the 2nd tier was that the only fundraising number that really matters is Q2 Cash on Hand. The reasoning for that was Ames. The amount of money that a campaign has right now limits the amount of money it can spend at Ames, and there’s Read more…
Update: Virginians for Fred Thompson has some pictures of geriatric Young Republicans, including a nice explanation of what actually happened at the straw poll. The Mitt Romney campaign has usually been quick to announce straw poll results. I haven’t seen an announcement yet for the one at the Young Republican Read more…
First, I should say that there have been two major blog posts written about the problems with this. They allege that Mitt Romney bought another straw poll. With details. That said: Romney 163 Thompson 103 Giuliani 37 Huckabee 14 Hunter 14 Paul 11 McCain 5
I am off to the Young Republican National Convention in Miami. I will be blogging some of it on-site. Mitt Romney will be speaking, as will Duncan Hunter. There will be a bunch of other exciting events, including a straw poll. The last big Young Republican straw poll last year Read more…
This morning, after Rudy Giuliani dropped out of the straw poll, a Romney staffer told Marc Ambinder: "We shouldn’t be disqualified or criticized for their campaign strategy and tactics," a Romney adviser insisted to me this morning. But after John McCain drops out because it will be meaningless, Romney declares Read more…
Well, Rudy Giuliani will not be at Ames. Neither will Fred Thompson. One has to wonder whether other campaigns will reconsider their commitments. Let’s look at what this all might mean. Here are some possibilities. Ames will select the most important 2nd tier candidate It is clear that the straw Read more…
Now, I’m no fan of straw polls. It is one thing if the voting universe is small. But it is not at many, and straw polls are usually arbitrary fundraising adventures for the hosts. And for the winners, they are a way of buying headlines. The Romney campaign has been Read more…
Well, the CPAC results are in. "The Big Winner" is Rudy Giuliani. First, of all, Rudy still has an "electability" issue. Can he win a primary? A lot of people are convinced that someone with his positions on social issues cannot win. The Giuliani campaign will tout this result to Read more…