Iowa Caucus Winners and Losers
EmailWINNERS:
Rick Santorum – Proving that retail politics isn’t dead, the former Pennsylvania senator worked the state harder than any other candidate and it paid off. Can he ride this win to victories elsewhere? With Texas Gov. Rick Perry taking a hiatus from the trail, the Michele Bachmann campaign on life support and Newt Gingrich obsessed with attacking-engaging Mitt Romney, Santorum has a great opportunity to establish himself as the consensus anti-Romney candidate.
The Des Moines Register – Proved that local papers cannot only survive, but thrive. They combine good old-fashioned, shoe-leather reporting with an understanding and aptitude for the technical and digital world. Following stand-out DMR political reporter Jennifer Jacobs on Twitter was a necessity for every political reporter in the country.
Sweater Vests – The “fashion” statement by Rick Santorum got its own New York Times story and its own fake twitter account. Will Romney soon “fear the sweater” in New Hampshire and South Carolina?
Pickup Trucks – The barn-jacket wearing Scott Brown drove his truck to an improbable victory in Massachusetts. In Iowa, it was a gray pickup nicknamed the “Chuck Wagon” (it was driven by GOP activist Chuck Laudner) that carried Santorum above and beyond all expectations.
Iowa GOP Chairman Matt Strawn – The savvy and media -friendly chairman helped Iowa retain its “first in the nation” status, even as many were pooh-poohing its relevance. How do we know media took the state seriously? If you park yourself at the departure gates from DSM airport Thursday morning, you’ll see every single political reporter in the country.
MIXED & ‘MEH’:
Mitt Romney – He wins Iowa by eight votes, but still can’t dispel the tag that he’s a candidate who can’t win over conservative Republicans. Despite his huge campaign war chest and an aggressive super PAC advertising campaign on his behalf, Romney barely inched past an underfunded candidate like Rick Santorum. Romney could be poised for back-to-back victories in Iowa and New Hampshire, where polls show him with a big lead, but he’s got a new foe to contend with who has already started painting him as a moderate.
Iowa TV stations – They made a ton of cash in 2008, but with few candidates spending any money on TV ads, the stations were poised to take a huge hit in 2012. Heavy spending by super PAC’s helped to bring some cash into the TV station coffers.
LOSERS:
The Ames Straw Poll – The August ritual has been derided for years as a boondoggle and an overhyped fundraiser for the state Republican Party. Mitt Romney easily won the straw poll in 2007, only to come in a disappointing second place in the caucuses in January 2008. This August, Rep. Michele Bachmann won the straw poll with 28 percent. She will leave the caucuses in last place with about 5 percent of the vote.
Rick Perry – No candidate spent more of their own campaign cash on ads in the Hawkeye state than Rick Perry. On paper, the Texas governor with his Tea Party bona-fides, deep fundraising base, and successful jobs record was a perfect fit for the Hawkeye state. The reality, however, was far, far different. The debate gaffes were an obvious strike against him. But he also never settled on a consistent message. Instead of highlighting his jobs record, he decided to try and define himself as the values candidate. That all but insured that he was fighting with at least four other Republicans to try to win the social conservative vote.
Michele Bachmann – No one fell from the front-runner perch farther or faster than the Minnesota congresswoman. The Iowa native who loved to boast about her roots in Waterloo, took just 7 percent of the vote in Blackhawk County (home to Waterloo).
Local Ballot Counters – The problem with local volunteers counting paper ballots by hand, it’s messy and a prime opportunity for mistakes. Combine this with a group of tired and cranky reporters and campaign supporters, and conspiracy theories are sure to flower.
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Any and all of these people would easily make a better president than Obama, the teleprompted windbag demagogue and corrupt failure.
Posted by: Michael | January 4, 2012, 7:55 am 7:55 am
Ron Paul didn’t tie for first that’s why they didn’t mention him, Oh wait he did? Funny how his name isn’t anywhere in this article.
Posted by: S Nelson | January 4, 2012, 7:58 am 7:58 am
It actually does seem like name recognition is the ticket.
Posted by: newcountryman | January 4, 2012, 8:04 am 8:04 am
None of these contenders suits me. Apart from the economy and our big debt and our loss of respect around the world, Obama has done not so badly. I hope everyone will give him 4 more years to impove and get in a good groove. His programs are the only way to go.
Posted by: lexingtonlady | January 4, 2012, 8:23 am 8:23 am
Romney = Loser.
Santorum = Loser.
Paul = The only choice for me and a winner in every respect.
Posted by: Aaron Ververs | January 4, 2012, 8:24 am 8:24 am
I’m starting to wonder if these votes are rigged again. Nobody even likes romney. Even if some people reluctantly support him, they are not enthusiastic about him enough to actually get up and go vote for him. I’ve talked to a lot of people, many republicans. Nobody likes romney. He’s a snake in the grass.
Posted by: taxpayer | January 4, 2012, 8:26 am 8:26 am
Neither Romney or Santorum will have the support of the registered democrats and independents and neither has the support of both the wings of he GOP. The Republican party is split in half and Dr. Paul should run as an independent and win against Obmaney.
Posted by: Girish | January 4, 2012, 8:28 am 8:28 am
I really enjoy seeing the pictures of the Obama family on their many vacations, and as an older gay man who receives government assistance, i will be voting to keep Obama no matter what.
Posted by: sameagain | January 4, 2012, 8:33 am 8:33 am
What this shows is the incredible divide within the Republican party. None of these people are likely to get a “mandate” and could be defeated in November. Ron Paul is too isolationist and too extreme in many ways – some conservatives actually consider him “too liberal” from what I have read. Santorum is too conservative for the moderates and Romney too moderate for the conservatives. Bachman is too crazy for any of them and Perry is Bush “lite” and no one wants another one of those. Independents and fence-sitting Democrats will back none of them.
Posted by: pksk531 | January 4, 2012, 8:41 am 8:41 am
“Iowa TV stations – They made a ton of cash in 2008, but with few candidates spending any money on TV ads, the stations were poised to take a huge hit in 2012. Heavy spending by super PAC’s helped to bring some cash into the TV station coffers.”
So we need the superPACs to keep TV stations afloat???? Is that why the citizen’s united ruling is not a travesty against the status of individuals? How do TV stations survive in the out years? Is the prime (or secondary, or tertiary) directive of our nation’s political campaigns the care and feeding of TV stations? If so, it is corrupting our political system when we invoke superPACs, the spawn of lobbyists, to do so.
Posted by: sameagain | January 4, 2012, 8:49 am 8:49 am
romney is the original author of obama care, romney is a big spender with other peoples money, where are the attack ads against romney???? why is he exempt from attack ads and bringing up his past mistakes? his flip flops, his liberalism? you wont see any because the super pacs,media the dnc and obama all know romney cant beat obama. as soon as romney gets the nomination , the same super pacs that have destroyed all the other candidates will start destroying romney, he cant beat obama. please wake up Americans, put an end to these super rich super pacs and the media picking our candidates.
Posted by: jodbea | January 4, 2012, 9:05 am 9:05 am
The other republican candidates missed their opportunity to negate Mitt Romney. All they had to do was pin him down on the issues. Quit allowing him to continue mouthing platitudes and snipping at the President. He has no original ideas or solutions. Who knows? Maybe they all think he’ll give one of them the VP slot.
Posted by: tmferretti | January 4, 2012, 10:34 am 10:34 am
Same as it ever was. Nothing has changed: Obama still sucks.
Posted by: Sai | January 4, 2012, 10:41 am 10:41 am
Mitt plays to those people you see on the blogs who just call the President names and have no ideas or solutions. Thankfully most Americans don’t buy into that BS.
Posted by: tmferretti | January 4, 2012, 10:52 am 10:52 am
“Thankfully most Americans don’t buy into that BS.”
Posted by: tmferretti (SameAgain, Searambler)
Few people are buying the repetitive spin and bs cranked out 24/7 by paid posters, and/or just compulsive Obama drone posters.
Posted by: Michelle | January 4, 2012, 10:58 am 10:58 am
Santorum is too conservative for today’s majority – he could never win against Obama. His ‘anti-gay’ talk alone is too harsh and not accepting of the true American culture.
Romney is more middle of the road, which is why hardcore conservatives are timid in backing him. That middle ground will give him a better chance of beating Obama.
Paul speaks a lot of truth in which most of us can relate; however, his Iran stance seems a bit worrisome – who knows if once elected, and briefed with foreign intelligence that he wouldn’t adjust his stance. If he runs as an Independent ticket….he will put votes from the GOP nominee and it will be four more years for Obama.
Gingrich – once was seen as a no nonsense speaker but appears now to be bitter. We’ll see what the next few days have in store.
Posted by: Reality | January 4, 2012, 11:18 am 11:18 am
Ron Paul didn’t tie for first that’s why they didn’t mention him, Oh wait he did? Funny how his name isn’t anywhere in this article.
Posted by: S Nelson | January 4, 2012, 7:58 am.
Romney and Santorum each got 25%. Paul came in third at 21%. So no, he did not tie for first.
Posted by: A Cynic | January 4, 2012, 11:54 am 11:54 am
However, to amend my 10:58 post, and to be fair, the Democrats who post here at least post facts and figures to back up their positions. We Republicans have no idea how to do that. Rush never covers that on his show.
Posted by: Michelle | January 4, 2012, 11:56 am 11:56 am
Too bad the post from “Michelle” at 11:56 am is not from me. Lame.
My post remains the same, and very true: Few people are buying the repetitive spin and bs cranked out 24/7 by paid posters, and/or just compulsive Obama drone posters.
Posted by: michelle | January 4, 2012, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
The post from “Michelle” at 11:56 am is not from me. Very Lame.
My post remains the same, and very true: Few people are buying the repetitive spin and bs cranked out 24/7 by paid posters, and/or just compulsive Obama drone posters.
Posted by: Michelle | January 4, 2012, 12:20 pm 12:20 pm
I don’t know how others are feeling, but I am doubting Obama can win anything anymore, except maybe another “job” as a corrupt community organizer.
Posted by: A Cynic | January 4, 2012, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm
“Any and all of these people would easily make a better president than Obama, the teleprompted windbag demagogue and corrupt failure.”
Posted by: Michael
At this point, I’ll admit this is super true. maybe we should give Obama another four-year chance to prove his doubters wrong.
Just sayin’, lol.
Posted by: kimberly the gadfly | January 4, 2012, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm
If I were capable of intellectual honesty, I would admit that there are a lot of paid Right Wing supporters here, spinning the Republican Party line non stop. Because we on the Right are scared that America is on to us, and will completely kick us out of office come November. So we attack, and belittle, and demean, and insult, and generally act like nasty jerks. The best defense is a nasty offense.
Posted by: Michelle | January 4, 2012, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm
I don’t know how others are feeling, but I am doubting Obama can win anything anymore, except maybe another “job” as a corrupt community organizer. Posted by: A Cynic | January 4, 2012, 12:25 pm.
That’s funny, someone posting under my name. Whoever it is has used the unproven ‘corrupt community organizer’ line before, but is apparently too cowardly to post under his or her real name. I can understand why. When posting lies it is best to do so under someone elses name.
Posted by: A Cynic | January 4, 2012, 1:13 pm 1:13 pm
Amy Walter dishonestly claimed that Mitt Romney victory in Iowa was not impressive. She deceitfully concealed the fact that Mitt Romney spent 20 days in Iowa, the lowest number of any candidate.
Amy Walter dishonorably claimed that Mitt Romney is “a candidate who can’t win over conservative Republicans” while declining to mention that other candidates have not proven that they can win over moderates who are needed to win a national election. Amy Walter stood with her liberal colleagues, Matthew Dowd, Jake Tapper, David Muir and George Stephanopolous, after ABC’s debate in Iowa and fatuously, dishonestly claimed that Newt Gingrich’s winning the Republican nomination was “inevitable”, because they know that Mitt Romney would be the strongest oppponent that their hero, Barack Obama, would encounter.
Posted by: Todd | January 4, 2012, 4:45 pm 4:45 pm
The caucuses are in, and the polls say…Some are wrong, a few are right. I am so tired of hearing about nothing but polls as they, in my opinion, don’t seem to reflect what the average American truly feels. If only there was one that could truly capture our interest. I found the 2012 EBAY United States Presidential Poll – can we really make a difference? I say cast your vote for your candidate now in what appears to be an intriguing nonscientific, nonpartisan poll on EBAY.
Posted by: john | January 4, 2012, 5:35 pm 5:35 pm
Ron Paul is not mentioned in this article …. The Media Black Out continues even though he shows a solid third place in the election and ties Romney and Santorum with delegate count. Go Figure. Its not a conspiracy theory if there is an actual conspiracy. The American People will not allow the Media to tell them who to vote for. Ron Paul is the only Anti-War candidate , he is being silenced. Ask yourself why.
Posted by: TheNewFourthEstate | January 5, 2012, 9:39 am 9:39 am