Iowa’s G.O.P. Fears Its Role in Presidential Selection Is Diminishing

[progressoid]

Iowa’s G.O.P. Fears Its Role in Presidential Selection Is Diminishing


By JONATHAN MARTIN
Published: August 24, 2013



AMES, Iowa — On the surface, Iowa’s Republican presidential caucuses seem healthier than ever: would-be candidates are flocking here mere months after the last White House race ended, drawing sizable crowds and ample news coverage. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and former Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania were in this central Iowa college town for a Christian conservative conference this month, and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky has come to the state twice since May.

But Iowa’s political leaders, always looking ahead to the next campaign, worry that looks can be deceiving and that the prized role of the Republican caucuses is in jeopardy. Establishment Republicans fear that conservatives have become such a dominant force in the nominating process here that they may drive mainstream presidential candidates away.

That would relegate the caucuses to little more than a test of the party’s right-wing sentiment, and would do little to identify and propel the eventual nominee.

“It just creates a self-selecting field,” said David Kochel, a longtime Iowa Republican strategist. “The spotlight will still be here, because the Democrats are all going to show up, but with Republicans it could be optional.”

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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/us/politics/iowas-gop-fears-its-role-in-presidential-selection-is-diminishing.html?_r=0

Love the internal fighting but King, Vander Plaats and their ilk are really making IA look like loonies.

[4dsc]

1. Who cares..

I mean really. If republicans in the state of Iowa want to take their party back then they should do it.

[Suburban Warrior]

2. The Iowa Caucus lost all credibility

when Michele Bachmann won it in 2011.

[47of74]

3. You mean the Straw Poll?

That's a different thing than the Iowa Caucus. The Straw Poll is an unofficial popularity contest where a bunch of GOP idiots come to our state along with supporters and try to out brownshirt each other in order to win the contest. The Iowa Caucuses are the official method of selecting Presidential candidates for both parties. Bachmann won the Iowa Straw Poll. Former Senator Rick Man-on-Dog Santorum won the Iowa Caucus, which yes, does not say a whole hell of a lot for the credibility of the caucus.

[rurallib]

4. I believe the caucuses on the Democratic side are strong

but the Republican side has become a real joke.
With winners like Huckabee and Pat Robertson in the past and last year's debacle it has just become a joke.
Add to it that they do not caucus, but essentially vote and go home it turns it into little more than a funny way to do a primary.

[47of74]

5. Even the official Republican caucus

Even the official Republican caucus is becoming little more than a popularity contest to see who is the brownest of the brown shirts.