So the big political news over the weekend was the Republican presidential straw poll, occurring in Ames, Iowa. Good grief--such an event shouldn't mean a darn thing. It's one city, in one state, a "preference" poll months out from the first ballot that means anything being cast, easily manipulated by any candidate with money---candidates can bus in supporters and further buy their votes with barbecue and corn on the cob.
But in fact they do have meaning. Tommy Thompson, former Republican governor of Wisconsin, whose campaign, let's face it, never went anywhere, finished 6th in the straw poll (he'd said he had to come in first). So he has dropped out of the race. So, yes, i guess the straw poll means something, if candidates drop out based on how they do in it. Mitt Romney won the straw poll. That was expected; he had money and resources to throw into it. But because it was "expected", it won't mean much. Note that nationally, the latest Gallup Poll only has Romney at 9%. Perhaps the biggest winner in Ames was, sure enough, Mike Huckabee, who exceeded expectations and came in 2nd. Good roundup and further links here. But, prediction: in a month, no one will remember much of any of this..
