The Fix: McCain may benefit from better-than-expected showing in Ames, partially thanks to Brownback
In the previous post, The Tower gave a hat tip to Chris Cillizza at “The Fix”, for linking to a CNN report noting that Sam Brownback has been calling up ID’d McCain supporters and asking them to turn out to vote for Brownback. Please see the previous post for more on the CNN report. Here is the excerpt from “The Fix”:
The Ames Straw poll is now just days away. And, while three of the four leading Republican contenders — John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson — have signaled they will not participate in the traditional early organizational test, they could have a significant impact on the ultimate outcome.Why?
Because, even thought they’re not attending the event their names will appear on the ballot. And, according to a new KCCI survey former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.) leads in Iowa with 25 percent followed by Thompson at 14 percent, Giuliani at 13 percent and McCain at 10 percent.The fact that the no-shows names appear on the ballot and that they appear to have significant chunks of support in the state lends itself to speculation that any (or all) of the campaigns are making quiet pushes in Iowa in hopes of making a surprise showing in the straw poll. Can you imagine the press Giuliani would receive if he placed second or third at Ames while not even trying? How about a McCain reb
irth, starting with a top 5 showing in the Straw poll?All three campaigns insist they are doing absolutely nothing to run an under-the-radar campaign at Ames. And, we believe them. But, we can’t help but make a few observations…While McCain’s campaign is still trying to reassert itself after the vast majority of his senior staff resigned, he, too, is a factor at Ames — thanks to fellow candidate Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kans.). As first reported by CNN, Brownback’s campaign is calling McCain supporters to ask them to back the Kansan since their guy is not actively participating. It’s an interesting strategy and one that makes interpreting meaning from the results all the more difficult.
The reality is that any of the three non-participating campaigns would love a top five finish — whether or not they admit it or make a direct play for it. It would give them something for (nearly) nothing, a rare opportunity in politics.
The honest truth is no one really knows what the Straw poll will look like when three of the four leading candidates are not actively participating in it. It’s never happened before. We’ll be watching and wondering what it all means before, during and after the vote.
You can read the original article by clicking here.
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