Herman Cain

Cain: If I Get 5th Place In New Hampshire, 'We Will Be Ecstatic' (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | August 15, 2011, 11:33AM

Herman Cain came in fifth place in the Iowa straw poll -- two positions back from third-place finisher Tim Pawlenty, who then quit the race. But not only is he sticking with it, Cain said during an appearance Monday morning on Fox News that he is excited about fifth place.

"Before I let you go, what's your next marker?" asked host Martha MacCallum. "You know, in terms of you looking forward, at what point do you decide, 'I'm in or out based on this date, or this victory, or this place?'"

"I will finish at number five in Iowa -- that's right where we want to be.," said Cain. "If we finish in the top five in New Hampshire, Martha, we will be ecstatic, because we're gonna put the same type of on the ground effort in New Hampshire that we did in Iowa, and we're also working South Carolina simultaneously.

"All right," MacCallum responded, "a determined Herman Cain."

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Gary Johnson

GOP Presidential Hopefuls Go To Ames, Gary Johnson Rides a Bike

Michael R. Corjulo | August 9, 2011, 1:47PM

GOP Presidential Candidate Governor Gary Johnson (R-NM)

While seven Republican presidential hopefuls will be competing in the Iowa Straw Poll this Saturday in Ames, candidate Gary Johnson will be in a slightly different kind of race. The former Governor of New Mexico announced Tuesday that he would be spending Saturday competing in a 100 mile-long mountain bike race in Leadville, Colorado.

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Iowa straw poll

Come To Ames -- For The 'Santorum Summer Dance Party'

Eric Kleefeld | August 8, 2011, 2:11PM

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)

Oh, Boy!

Rick Santorum is hoping to show Iowans a good time at the Ames Straw Poll: First with Santorum's homemade jelly -- and now, his campaign has announced, with musical entertainment from the late Buddy Holly's backup band the Crickets, plus the Big Bopper Jr.

Back in 1959, the 22-year old Buddy Holly and the 28-year old original Big Bopper, plus 17-year old Ritchie Valens, were killed in a plane crash -- in Iowa, during a Midwestern tour called the "Winter Dance Party."

As such, the name of the Santorum campaign event is the "Santorum Summer Dance Party."

"After three weeks of traveling across Iowa and meeting thousands of Iowans, we are excited to cap off our family trip with a day of fun in Ames," said Santorum in a press release. "We are all looking forward to eating, singing, and dancing along with the traditions that make summertime in Iowa the epitomizes the heart of the American experience."

Iowa straw poll

Hmm...Pawlenty Pulls Ads For Straw Poll Home Stretch

Eric Kleefeld | August 3, 2011, 6:44PM

Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)

Tim Pawlenty is now making an unusual move in the run-up to the politically crucial Iowa Straw Poll: Pulling his TV and radio ads for the 72 hours running up to the event next weekend, focusing instead on his on-the-ground turnout operation.

Politico reports that the Pawlenty campaign insists the redirection of funds is not because they might be short on cash, but is simply a matter of wanting to concentrate on their turnout operation. "It's such a small universe of people, we really want to focus on people we know are supporting us -- focus on turnout mode instead of name ID and recruitment," said campaign adviser Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Pawlenty had previously reserved $200,000 in TV and radio ads for the Des Moines-Ames media market, which is now being diverted. By contrast, his fellow Minnesotan (and apparent Iowa frontrunner) Michele Bachmann just launched a whole new ad, boasting of her vote against the debt-ceiling increase -- and asking viewers to head to the straw poll in Ames.

Iowa straw poll

Santorum To Give Out Free Jelly At Ames

Eric Kleefeld | August 3, 2011, 3:34PM

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA)

Rick Santorum may not have raised a lot of money or attracted much support in the polls, but his campaign for the presidency will be trying a new tack for votes at the Ames Iowa Straw Poll: Some delicious homemade peach jam.

The Des Moines Register reports that Santorum told an Iowa audience on Tuesday that his family has fruit trees back home, and he and his children harvested peaches, peeled them, and made them into jelly. And now, they will be bringing 40 jars to Iowa.

"We are bringing them to the Straw Poll and we are going to give everybody a sample," said Santorum, dubbing the product "Pennsylvania Presidential Peach Preserves."

Don't count out this tactic completely. In the 1840 presidential election, one thing the opposition Whig Party did to cement its momentum from the economic depression was to mount a national effort of handing out hard cider at campaign events, tying it to the manufactured image of nominee William Henry Harrison as a rugged outdoorsman. Though come to think of it, 40 jars of peach jelly probably isn't as convincing as hard cider.