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AP
Rep. Michele Bachmann (left) and Texas Gov. Rick Perry (right)
DES MOINES, Iowa -- With the 2012 presidential campaign well underway here, the first-in-the-nation caucus state, the top tier Republican candidates have largely ignored a crucial part of the state: the Northwest quadrant.
“There is not a more important region in Iowa than the Northwest counties,” a GOP strategist tells First Read. “While making up just a quarter of the state, they have an enormous, out-sized say in who will win Iowa.”
Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the supposed frontrunner, and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, the winner of the Ames Straw Poll in August, have focused their campaigns thus far in the center of the state -- only a short radius from the capital city. Bachmann has only held four of her more than 70 events in the state in the Northwest, while Perry has yet to visit the region at all.
“Sometimes campaigns get a little bit lazy, and they skip the edges, but there’s an awful lot of votes in Northwest Iowa,” former Iowa GOP Chairman and CEO of Victory Enterprises Steve Grubbs admitted.
While former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has ignored Iowa all together, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Texas Congressmen Ron Paul, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former Godfather’s Pizza CEO Herman Cain have spent considerable amounts of time in the Northwest counties. Santorum, according to the Des Moines Register’s candidate tracker, has held 46 events in the region.
"Sen. Santorum is connecting well with Northwest Iowa voters, because he is speaking to the issues that they care most deeply about," said Jamie Johnson, state coalitions director for Santorum's campaign. "People appreciate his authenticity."
With Gingrich and Paul both making campaign stops in Sioux City last week, many Republicans heavily involved in the caucus process are surprised Perry and Bachmann are not trying to capitalize on the voters there yet.
“There is a goldmine of votes in Northwest Iowa,” a Republican strategist said, “and the GOP candidates had better get serious about campaigning there soon, or risk losing vital votes in Northwest Iowa.
“Northwest Iowa is a strongly conservative, evangelical, and heavily Republican area,” Dennis Goldford, a political science professor at Drake University, pointed out. There are not only more Republicans than Democrats in that area, Goldford said, but also more Republicans than independents. Registered independents outnumber both registered Democrats and Republicans statewide.
“Western Iowa, in general, and Northwest Iowa, in particular, have always played an important role in the Republican precinct caucuses, and that will be just as true in 2012,” admits Eric Woolson, Bachmann’s Iowa communications director and former Mike Huckabee aide.
The Northwestern part of the Hawkeye State has proved to be a key area for Republicans in recent elections. Both the 2008 caucus winner, Huckabee, and the 2010 gubernatorial winner, Terry Branstad, posted large turnout numbers in the counties in the most conservative part of the state.
“Gov. Huckabee was very popular in Northwest Iowa and had strong support in the area,” Woolson said.
Why then, if the Northwest region helped propel Huckabee ahead of Romney, who spent the most in the state, are Perry and Bachmann not spending more time there?
David Yepsen, the longtime political writer for The Des Moines Register and now a professor at Southern Illinois University, says expect to see more of an emphasis in the region this fall.
“The race hasn’t gelled enough,” Yepsen said. “It may be the campaigns are still trying to figure out: (1) what the calendar is, (2) what the field is, and (3) how to play it. It’s amazing how fluid it is this close to caucus night. As we get closer to the date, you’ll see more effort being expended there.”
Perry’s Iowa Chairman Bob Haus, said the governor would be putting a focus on the Northwest counties moving forward.
“There are big Republican population areas up there,” he said, “but there is also just a lot of conservative activists that I think Gov. Perry would appeal to in terms of his philosophy and stance on the issue.”
As for the Bachmann strategy, Woolson said, the congresswoman “will be devoting quite a bit of time to campaigning in Northwest Iowa as we go forward to caucus night."
Bachmann, in fact, heads to the region Monday, and Perry makes his first trip there next weekend.
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Aww that's too bad - Perry & Bachmann aren't spreading some love ALL around! lol
So many tea baggers so little time!
Why spread love all around when its cheaper and more efficient to spread BS in a few key spots?
No fair Indy - that comment should of come with full dis-closer; Make sure you've swallowed the coffee before reading! lol
Perry and Bachmann ignore crucial areas to their peril, Jon Huntsman swoops in and bags the nomination.......
Hey, it is Sunday morning, I am allowed to dream!
Perry is done after yesterday, his college tuition policy is a little too liberal for me so I know it won't fly with republicans. He might as well take the stage let out a scream like Dean and go home he is finished. Bachmann is a non starter for a general election, even republicans know that.
Who really cares at this point in the campaign, it's still pretty early. By the time November 2012 rolls around obama will be up to his rather large ears fighting scandals he has created for himself! Speaking of scandals, Solyndra is turning out to be very interesting...
Who arranged the Solyndra loan? A top Obama fund raiser named Steven J. Spinner who, according to ABC, worked to "pick and select fantastic projects" for DOE to fund. During the campaign, he was responsible for raising at least half a million dollars for Obama. Now, he told associates that he "helped oversee the more than $100 billion of loan guarantee and direct lending authority" for DOE's green-energy lending program.
And what a coincidence! Spinner's wife, Allison's law firm Wilson, Sonsini, Goodrich & Rosati got $2.4 million in legal fees to handle the legal work in connection with the Solyndra loan.
The fact is that the Solyndra scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. Much of the DOE green energy lending program is a scam. It is a slush fund of pork for paying back campaign contributors. Top Obama bundler George Kaiser was the chief investor in Solyndra.
The Democrats are digging in to continue the lending program because the firms that have already gotten loans can't pay them back unless the welfare continues to flow. If it is shut off, they risk having dozens of Solyndras to explain away, each with its own sordid history of campaign donations and special influence.
When the Republicans in the House demanded the termination of the $1.5 billion lending program to offset the extra money the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) needed. The GOP conservatives did not want the FEMA money to add to the deficit. But the Senate is fighting like crazy against the cut, even going to the lengths of threatening a government shutdown over the issue. They need to keep the funding so the firms don't embarrass them and add to the taxpayers' losses.
The Solyndra scandal is a gift that keeps on giving. It shows that not only was Obama's stimulus package and baloney about green jobs a fraud but that it was also good old Chicago politics at work.
And the entire concept of the loan program is bogus. How can you make an energy company that is not viable work by lending it money? If the program can generate energy at competitive prices, why would it need federal aid? And, if it can't, how would it ever be able to repay the federal loan?
Indeed, giving a company a federal loan realistically precludes private financing unless the federal loan is subordinated to private financing in the loan agreement, an arrangement which - as it did in the case of Solyndra leads to the massive fleecing of the taxpayer.
Yup, come election time it is possible the Democratic candidate just might be someone other than the annoited one we foolishly elected back in 2008!
Great post Steve! I think the Supreme Court will be very willing to look into many of the president's shennanigan's and Solyndra is just one. His chances of reelection are falling "fast and furiously'!
It is curious to see the fr libbies get all in a tizzy over what Perry and/or Bachmann do or don't do... they can take a whole weekend discussing such truly little issues!
Shouldn't they be concerned about the implosion of the administration?
Oh well.... keep it up libbies, stay indoors. I for one am headed to the lake for a little boating and a Pelosi roast! Oops! excuse me, I meant pig roast! lol CYA all on Monday!
$2.4 million and the tax payers still got still got stuck behind Obama's billionaire bundler? The law firm of Spanky, Steve & bob could have protected the tax payers better than that ... and we would have done it for half the $2.4 million.
Yep, the solar iceberg. Then there is the EV /Tesla, Fisker iceberg; the Gunner Runner iceberg ....
Yep, in addition, Obama is even giving more tax payer money to even more new guys. He gave another billion to two companies on Thursday.
Tonopah Solar got $737 million and Sempra got $337 million (somebody at Sempra evidently only raised / bundled $300,000 for Obama).
Tonograph is a wholly owned subsidiary of SolarReserve, which lists Pacific Corporate Group as an investment partner. The no. 2 guy at PCG is Ronald Pelosi - Nutsy Nancy's bro in law.
Another investor is venture firm Good Energies whose former CEO Richard Kaufman recently joined Obama's Energy Department as a senior adviser - ain' that swell.
Two other SolarReserve board members are big Obama donors.
That's Thursday .... Obama was planning to give away another $5.3 billion by the close of business on Friday.
I've been thinking the same thing.
Obama's jobs plan is a such a bad joke the dems in the Senate and Congress can't even crack a smile. Unemployment is going nowhere at best, up at worst.
Obama demonizes the rich and demoralizes the rest of America and business. Another recession is looming and the Obamacare dog gets put to sleep with swing vote Kennedy vowing to not to retire until Obama is gone.
Foreign policy is such a disgrace, Obama will be lucky there isn't a mid east war by this time next year. Throw in the scandals and the sane dems will be threatening Obama if he doesn't agree to leave.
Anyway ...... good post Steve.
Steve H USA, Great post, Could you let us know where you got your information.
This is all ya got, Solyndra? Maybe you could bust the president for sneaking a smoke too. Obviously this rates right up there with Watergate, Iran-Contra, Jack Abramoff, the Plame affair, or maybe the Goodling Dept. of Justice scandal? Riiight.
[Steve H USA, Great post, Could you let us know where you got your information.
lisa, when SteveH doesn't come through with your request for information, just let me know and I'll forward you THE SAME chain email I got recently...of course it had about 200 additional email addresses attached to it...
...I'm sure you've played the game "Telephone" before...
Mickey and Minnie, The information regarding Solyndra came from the fair and balance Fox News this morning. Check it out sometime and learn! I'm sure it will come out in the next issue of NewsMax as well. The OLM (old liberal media) are obviously burying it....
Fair and balanced -- now THAT'S funny.
SteveH, Thank you for replying.
Michele Bachman is the most irritating person I have ever had the displeasure of listening to. If I ever have to hear her speak about "Obama Care" again I'm going to lose my mind. I swear that's all she ever talks about. "Blah blah blah Obama care is terrible.Blah blah blah." Luckily she will be out of the mix in a couple of months. Rick Perry just needs to keep opening his mouth to lose more voters. I just can't wait until Chris, Sarah and Huck join in and can really dilute the votes. Ron Paul's "nutty" 15% looks pretty good now doesn't it?
Ron Paul's "nutty" 15% looks pretty good now doesn't it?
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Hey dude (or dudette), don't knock Uncle Fuzzy.
My favorite is when Michele blathers about Sharia Law, all the while I am thinking, lady if there was ever a person to make the case that a womens mouth should be wrapped with scarves you do.
Forest--not to mention she doesn't seem to have a problem with inflicting on our country a "christian" version of Sharia Law designed by the evangelical "christian" tealiban!
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
Bachmann's running low on campaign cash and having a hard time getting donors after her multiple inept moments during the GOP debates. Her star is fading quickly, but she can't see it...must be something to do with those lasers and that "deer in the headlights" look she wears so well. But she was right about one thing...Perry's "crony capitalism" and his "pay for play" operations.
Perry still can't figure out what to say and/or how to say it so he doesn't come across as the blithering idiot he's already shown himself to be. Those little downward "doe-eyed" side glances don't play all that well to some people so he shouldn't count on that tactic to rescue him from himself. But I do love to see that man get all tongue-tied trying to explain others positions...he does that well.
So is Christie going to be, as Sarah Palin mused before she denied saying it (and on FOX no less), the next "flavor of the week"?
Will Trump jump back into the race because some of the other candidates (and as yet, some who, at this moment, are undeclared) have rushed to kiss his...ring...and he won't think any of them are as good as he?
Does the GOP have an endless supply of these people? I mean we all need a good laugh now and then...but really...THIS?
Stay tuned.
Gotp proves a point stupid people should not breed
I wish they all would stay out of Iowa. We have plenty of fertilizer here and we don't need any Republican crap........
If stupid people didn't breed then how would we have Democrats?
Hahaha....Northwest Iowa...home of dickhead Steve King of the House of Representives.......There is one kook here.....do not need another in Bachman.....oh....I forget.....there is so much love between them....he will be on the stage with Bachman dry humping her.
IfI had to choose norhtwest Iowa over SouthCarolina I would choose South Carlona becauseofit'searly primarydate. Michelle cannot afford to be painted as a regional candidate. Shedid well in thestraw poll knocking Pawlentyout of the race. she demostrrated strong bona fides. But Iowa evenif she wins ingoing to be put downas a next door neighbor.
SouthCarolina would democrate more effecitive that Bachmann has national appeal.When a Blue State Congressman win insouth Carolina-that'snews and will resonate all across the South Which has more degates than Iowa. Yes, it'sPerry country-but Perry is soing to be hard pressed elsewhare and Michelle helped elect the governor-when noone else would help.