Last week, Herman Cain’s campaign was upset about the way the Ames Straw Poll ballot was coming together in Iowa. Now that the ballot’s been set — partially against Team Cain’s recommendations — the campaign says it “respects the decision” of event organizers.
The Republican ritual is seen as a test of a presidential candidate’s strength — as well as a candidate’s campaign coffers. Team Cain was concerned that candidates who didn’t pay the thousands of dollars required to get a space at the Ames straw poll would get on the ballot anyway. In the end, all the declared candidates in the race were put on the ballot (even the ones who didn’t pay to play at Ames) and two of the biggest undeclared names, Rick Perry and Sarah Palin, were left off.
The Cain campaign says that’s something of a win.
“The measurable difference between what could have been and what is is that all the people on the ballot are declared candidates,” Cain spokesperson Ellen Carmichael told TPM. “[The] good that came out of it is that undeclared candidates aren’t on the ballot this time.”
The Cain campaign’s concerns over a ballot that went beyond the candidates who paid for a slot at Ames caused a little controversy in Iowa. But Team Cain said that they were trying to keep the ballot limited to keep it fair.
“It is because campaigns like ours paid our way that there is even an Ames straw poll,” Carmichael wrote on Facebook. “Without subsidy from the campaigns, other candidates who didn’t pay wouldn’t even have the opportunity to appear on the ballot.”
Past Ames ballots have included undeclared candidates. The fact that Perry and Palin won’t be on this year is something of a win for protests like Cain’s. Carmichael says they’re ready to compete and expect to do well on the ballot that has been approved.
“We understood that this was a possibility going into it,” Carmichael said of Mitt Romney and other candidates not paying for a slot appearing on the Aug. 13 ballot.
“We’re honored to be a part of it,” she said. “we expect to perform well.”
Evan McMorris-Santoro
Evan McMorris-Santoro has covered politics for TPM since 2009. Before that, he was a reporter at National Journal’s Hotline covering election 2008. He started his career covering local politics at newspapers in TN and his native NC.
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