sailingaway
12-02-2011, 06:50 PM
December may mean sparking lights and holiday parties, but this year it also means all eyes on Iowa as the Republican presidential contenders make their final pitch to the caucus-goers of the Hawkeye State with frenzied campaigning and a pair of debates - including a final showdown, hosted by FOX News.
The Iowa caucuses will be held on Jan. 3, 2012, and the outcome is far from certain. While the new national frontrunner, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, has dominated recent Iowa polls, the fluid nature of the race and the importance of local organization in the state mean that Iowa's delegates are still very much for grabs. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Herman Cain and Texas Rep. Ron Paul are all top-tier contenders. And other candidates who have focused heavily on Iowa, like Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann are all capable of roiling the race.
Because of a scheduling feud among early primary states, Iowa moved its caucuses to the first week of the New Year to preserve its status as the first nominating contest in the land. That complicated things for the campaigns, because Christmas falls just nine days before the caucuses. Instead of making their closing arguments at town hall meetings or jabbing at their opponents in attack ads, the candidates will have to cool their heels while Iowans gather for holiday celebrations.
That means that candidates and campaigns have only the three weeks of the month to work before Iowans start to tune out for the holidays. They must make every day count.
Read more: http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/12/01/all-eyes-iowa-final-gop-pitch#ixzz1fQcIcTWU
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The Iowa caucuses will be held on Jan. 3, 2012, and the outcome is far from certain. While the new national frontrunner, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, has dominated recent Iowa polls, the fluid nature of the race and the importance of local organization in the state mean that Iowa's delegates are still very much for grabs. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Herman Cain and Texas Rep. Ron Paul are all top-tier contenders. And other candidates who have focused heavily on Iowa, like Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann are all capable of roiling the race.
Because of a scheduling feud among early primary states, Iowa moved its caucuses to the first week of the New Year to preserve its status as the first nominating contest in the land. That complicated things for the campaigns, because Christmas falls just nine days before the caucuses. Instead of making their closing arguments at town hall meetings or jabbing at their opponents in attack ads, the candidates will have to cool their heels while Iowans gather for holiday celebrations.
That means that candidates and campaigns have only the three weeks of the month to work before Iowans start to tune out for the holidays. They must make every day count.
Read more: http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/12/01/all-eyes-iowa-final-gop-pitch#ixzz1fQcIcTWU
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