Ron Paul’s Relaxing Iowa Vacation?
By Chase on Aug 6, 2007 in Ames Straw Poll, Iowa Caucuses, Media, Mitt Romney, Politics, Republicans, Rhetoric, Ron Paul
About a month ago, I heard Ron Paul’s campaign staff pledge that they would get 10,000 of their supporters to the Ames Straw Poll during their alternative event next to the ICA/ITR Republican Candidates Forum, from which Paul was excluded. Then it was revealed — on Paul’s own official Straw Poll site — that Paul was only able to buy 500 tickets ($17,500 worth) to give away. The other 9,500 supporters will theoretically have to buy their own tickets — or will they?
I suppose they could take Mitt Romney’s free ride and barbecue and then vote for Paul, but could 9,500 of them really squeeze by Mitt’s crowd-wranglers? And, more aptly, where are those 9,500 Ron Paul-supporting Iowans going to come from? Unless they have an elaborate voter file and direct mail campaign going on behind the scenes, it doesn’t seem possible. And the internet probably won’t save them: the Des Moines/Central Iowa Ron Paul group on Meetup, the primary social networking site used by Paul supporters, has only 98 members. Other Ron Paul groups visible to someone in Des Moines have even fewer members, and many members are in multiple groups.
So why hasn’t Ron Paul spent more time on the ground? His first long trip to Iowa is this week; and, while he is spending every day here until the Ames Straw Poll, he is making an average of two public appearances per day. And a candidate like Paul probably does not make an extreme amount of private appearances, which leaves me wondering: what is he doing to pass the time? Okoboji?
Here’s Ron Paul’s public schedule (after the jump):
August 5th, 8:00 AM ABC Iowa Debate Des Moines IA August 5th 11:00 AM Worship First Federated Church 4801 Franklin Avenue, Des Moines, IA August 5th 12:10 PM Meeting Tower Park (50th and Hickman), Des Moines, IA August 5th, 6:30 PM Townhall Event Town Square (off Hwy 34 and Court), Fairfield, IA August 6th, 3:00 PM Townhall Event Wellsburg Community Center, 501 N. Adams, Wellsburg, IA August 6th, 7:00 PM Townhall Event Music Man Square, 308 S. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, IA August 7th, 12:00 PM Meet and Greet Maxine’s Restaurant, 311 Cedar St. (Main St. off of Hwy 20), Lawton, IA August 7th, 3:00 PM Townhall Event Cronks Restaurant, 812 4th Ave. S., Denison, IA August 7th, 7:00 PM Townhall Event Holiday Inn & Suites, 2202 River Road, Council Bluffs, IA August 8th, 12:00 PM Meet and Greet Pizza Ranch, 520 Livingston Ave., Creston, IA August 8th 6:30 PM Meet and Greet Pizza Ranch 120 High Avenue West, Oskaloosa, IA August 9th, 9:00 AM Jan Mickelson Interview Iowa State Fairgrounds/1040 AM WHO Radio August 9th11:00 AM Speaking Iowa State Fairground/Des Moines Register Platform August 9th 1:00 PM Grand Opening of Iowa HQ Des Moines Bldg, 405 - 6 Av, # 104, Des Moines, IA August 9th 8:00 PM Rally Cedar Rapids, IA (Crowne Plaza, 350 First Ave NE, Cedar Rapids IA 52401 Cedar Rapids, IA) August 10th 6:00 PM Ronstock Iowa The Bali Satay House, 2424 Lincoln Way, Ames, IA August 11th 10:00 AM Iowa Straw Poll Hilton Coliseum, Lincoln Way & Elwood Drive, Ames, IA
Chase Martyn observes and analyzes politics from Des Moines, IA, capital of 2008's first caucus state. He is also Managing Editor of the 
From what I have read, local Ron Paul supporters are also raising money for people to attend the straw poll and a California attorney has donated $5,000 to help pay the registration fee for college students who can’t afford it.
Is it all that important to pay the fee? If you were going to vote for a guy in the straw poll would you vote for the guy who was willing to pay your fee or would you pay the $35 and vote for the candidate of your choice? Personally, I’d do the latter.
It looks to me like Ron Paul’s schedule has him making more like 3 appearances a day than the two that you suggested. When he isn’t making appearances, however, he is doing radio and TV interviews by phone. So his campaigning has been intense. He’s spent less time and money in Iowa than the other candidates but he’s saved it for the last moment when it can be expected to have the greatest impact.
10,000 voters! That’s enough to win it all! Romney can pack it up and go home. I think that’s a bit optimistic. 5,000 would be a great showing. But keep in mind that there are Ron Paul volunteers from all over the country who have been running phone campaigns and mailings to residents in Iowa for weeks now. Some have even come in from out of state to canvass door-to-door. They may not be able to vote in the straw poll and they may not be members of an Iowa meet-up group, but they can still help get Ron Paul’s name and message out. And you don’t have to be a registered Republican to vote in the straw poll. This could make the crucial difference because Ron Paul appeals to independents and even to many Democrats.
The Ron Paul headquarters in Washington says that they expect Paul to finish in the top three.
robert | Aug 9, 2007 | Reply