The national media is in a frenzy about the Republican contest in tonight's Iowa caucuses. Unfortunately, most journalists seem to be getting the story wrong -- and a key reason is not understanding or even thinking about the rules and their implications.
Mitt Romney has money and the moderate politics to give the president a tough fight in the fall. But he doesn't give his own party those sweaty palms of excitement. He could have a very miserable 2012.
"So residents of these three states, three states that comprise only a very small percent of the US population, three states whose demographics do not come close to mirroring that of America... are going to be the major deciding factors in who represents the Republican party." "That's right."
The Republican presidential race actually begins Tuesday night. It is worth remembering that this is the first time we will hear from the voters.
Why Iowa shouldn't matter: 1. Caucuses don't even pick binding convention delegates. 2. The winner's raw vote total would fill one fourth of an NFL ...
This year we'll only be offering up picks for the Republican side all year, until we get to the general election. So, let's wipe the slate clean, dust off the crystal ball, and dive right into the 2012 election cycle!
Undecided or not, Prof. Hagle joins other Republican observers who dismiss the suggestion of this being a "weak field" simply because party leaders haven't chosen to rally behind any one particular candidate. "One of the main things Republicans are looking for is someone that can beat President Obama," he said.
While the No. 1 seed -- Romney -- is a good bet, he is no sure thing. He needs to see if he can take a beating under the boards, and if he can win in a higher-scoring shootout. Ya gotta love this game
I feel pretty bad about myself today because if Rick Santorum can have a surge, anybody can get one -- right? Yet even after watching all 456 Republican debates in 2011, I've still got nothing to show for it according to the latest polls.
To Democrats, George W. Bush is the Voldemort of American politics, an evil force. But even to Republicans, he is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, someone you dare not talk about as you try to win the votes of conservative Iowans.
Anything but representative of the country at large, the Hawkeye state should have only a marginal role in determining who the GOP standard bearer and possible winner in November will be.
President Obama has been a failure to many Democrats, especially the liberal wing of the party, and all they can say to one another is, "At least he's not the GOP candidate." But what if the GOP candidate was Ron Paul?
The hard reality is that not one of Mitt Romney's GOP presidential rivals is electable, no matter how close they hue to the social and fiscal conservative line.
Now that the Iowa caucus is upon us, the best thing that could happen to the Republican party in 2012 at the national level may be a good drubbing -- not just in the presidential race but across the board.
Rick Perry is not a conservative. He is a man of little intelligence who has used charm and looks to build a political career. And his success is a crime against democracy.
Get ready folks: the Republican Party is poised to make U.S. election history.
100% precincts reporting
| Candidate | Votes | Pct. | Del. |
|---|---|---|---|
Santorum |
29,839 | 24.6% | 13 |
Romney |
29,805 | 24.5% | 12 |
Paul |
26,036 | 21.4% | |
Gingrich |
16,163 | 13.3% | |
Perry |
12,557 | 10.3% | |
Bachmann |
6,046 | 5.0% | |
Huntsman |
739 | 0.6% | |
Others |
254 | 0.2% | |
Cain |
45 | 0.1% | |
Roemer |
17 | 0.1% |
Delegate counts are estimates and might be adjusted later.