by emptywheel
Here's the way I figure this math, from the Iowa Straw Poll.
They had 24,000 voters in 1999.
They wanted 20,000 voters today.
They got 14,000.
That says, presumably, the Iowa Republican Party wrote off 4,000 votes because Giuliani and McCain pulled out and Thompson's not in yet (24,000 minues 20,000).
But that still leaves 6,000 people (20,000 minus 14,000) they expected--and didn't get. I'm going to count 5,000 of those 6,000 as votes for "None of the Above" with the rest going to Obama. Even if we gave those 1,000 to Obama (6% of the total would have given him 1,440), that still says that "None of the Above," with 5,000 votes, still out-polled Romney, who spent millions, 5,000 to 4,516. I know this is all funny math. But still, I do think this counts as a win for "None of the Above."
And here's the best part. This is supposed to be a fundraiser for Iowa's Republican party--straw poll tickets cost $35 apiece. Which means Iowa's Republican party just made $350,000 less than it made in 1999 of this thing.
And then, suddenly, he rode up upon a white steed of pure lineage - At last their knight had come to deliver them, and how they did cheer - Newt, Newt, Newt.
Surely, he could slay the lady dragon and deliver them from these dark days.
Posted by: Dismayed | August 12, 2007 at 00:24
Dismayed:
I wouldn't count out Jeb just yet. If "Hollywood" Fred implodes, who else do they have left?
Posted by: Joe Klein's conscience | August 12, 2007 at 00:38
They have no one that the american people want to lead them. And yet, they still have the power to change our constitution. That to me, in our democracy, says it all.
Posted by: Katie Jensen | August 12, 2007 at 09:30
Oh, don't be so petty about a dumb poll in Iowa.
Katie, you seem to disagree with our form of Government.
Fred is coming! Fred is coming! ...
Actually I don't like any of the candidates Democratic or Republican. But I am not ready to follow Katie's Revolution. So I will pick the least objectionable. Don't we all?
Posted by: Jodi | August 12, 2007 at 12:03
I love democracy...we just don't happen to have one operating right now. We have always been a representational form of government, anyway, it's just far less representational than it used to be.
Posted by: Katie Jensen | August 12, 2007 at 15:28
Jeb's got just a little too much baggage. Going to take at least eight years to take the stink off that 'Bush' name...
Posted by: Nell | August 12, 2007 at 22:02