Mitt Romney Wins Iowa Election

With 31.5% of the vote Romney was able to elevate himself from relative obscurity to a top tier candidate. Having a 14% point spread over second place winner, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, Romney’s Presidential Primary straw poll victory was bittersweet. Top tier candidates Rudolph Giuliani of New York, Senator John McCain of Arizona and non-candidate candidate, former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee were not in the field.

Political reporters and pundits like the International Herald Tribune’s Adam Nagourney and Jeff Zeleny have criticized the win in their August 11th report. “For all the hoopla and hype…the political significance of this event was questionable…. this was not exactly a textbook case of American democracy in action.”

The Boston Globe gave the victory much more meaning for Romney and Huckabee. “Far from a mere balloting exercise, the straw poll is a day-long political extravaganza…which culminates with a vote that typically resets the Republican field.”

National Sentiment

Critics state that Romney is not in tune to the sentiments of the nation. In his victory he spent large amounts of money, far more than other candidates. "For us to do this, spending a dime for every $100 bill the others spent, is an amazing victory," said second place finisher Mike Huckabee.

Romney’s organization paid the $35 fee for voters to cast their non-binding vote and he traveled the state more than any other Republican candidate. Furthermore, he brought in bus loads of supporters from around the state to cast their ballots – paid for by Romney.

With those achievements his national appeal is still a dismal 4th among Republican candidates and even lower when placed head-to-head against leading Democratic candidates. In a surprising move the Romney campaign turned negative in recent weeks.

As Paul Rolly wrote in the Salt Lake Tribune; “Perhaps stagnating in fourth place among Republican candidates has left him frustrated. Or maybe he felt the need to tickle the more small-minded of his party after going toe-to-toe with a waitress in New Hampshire over healthcare and, by most accounts, losing.”

“Romney's comparison [reference to remarks about Democrat Barack Obama] seemed to endear him a bit to his Republican audience,” continued Rolly. “…in 2006, voters clearly had tired of the insults, name-calling and fear-mongering…. Acidic right-wing pundits like Bill ‘You're a Kook’ O'Reilly, Sean ‘Ooh, a Liberal’ Hannity, Rush ‘Watch Me Shake All Over’ Limbaugh and Ann ‘He's So Gay’ Coulter seems to be wearing thin….”

As Romney’s vitriolic sound bites lashed out, he was being attacked from the Republican right. Boston Globe reporter Lisa Wangsness reported on leaflets passed out this week in Iowa. "we strongly believe that Jesus Christ, if he were alive in the flesh in this time and voted, would NEVER vote for Mitt Romney under any circumstances," the flyer says. "Mitt Romney represents Mormonism which is counterfeit Christianity, a cult."

“Negative attacks are commonplace in the political arena…But there should be no place for religious bigotry," said Peter Flahtery a Romney point man.

The Republican Party Cynicism

The Monmouth County, NJ, Republican Party reluctantly presented conservative complaints about Romney on May 20th. “Conservatives of his home state of Massachusetts have begun to fire a couple shots over his campaign bow because of their experience with him on stem cell research, gay marriage and abortion…”

The Globe article says it best. “In a country that loves Southern politicians, it is tough to run for president as a New Englander, especially in Southern states….Even as Romney has surged into the lead in some polls in...key primary states…he is still struggling to rise above single figures in South Carolina, Alabama, and Florida, likely to be the South's early primary battlegrounds.”

Mitt Romney

State of Iowa

Romney's Town Meeting

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