In less than a week (on August 13, 2011) thousands of GOP activists will take part in the straw poll in Ames, Iowa. This will be the first election event leading to the November 2012 election. The straw poll gives voters in Iowa the opportunity to express their opinion on the available candidates without someone else doing it for them. For some candidates it may be just the beginning of their campaign and for others it may be the end if they do poorly when the results are tallied. Regardless of whether a candidate does well or poorly it will be up to the candidate to make the decision to continue their campaign. While the straw poll in some cases may have some drawbacks in terms of results, it is an event that is widely publicized.
In comparing the Iowa caucuses to be held early next year, these also provide opinions of Iowa voters on the available candidates running for President. This is one of the similarities in relation to the straw poll. Results are important in some respects, but they are not necessarily the end of the game for any specific candidate. The big difference between the caucuses to be conducted early next year and the straw vote is that representatives are selected to discuss candidates, 
their positions on the issues, and which of these strongly reflect the opinion of those they represent. There are several types of caucuses throughout the country which have different structures and are conducted in different manners. The Iowa caucuses are county caucuses and include one for each county in the state of Iowa which amounts to a total of 99 caucuses.
Iowa has long been a state that is a leader in conducting election results for Presidential elections. The importance of the Iowa caucuses in terms of candidates moving forward with their campaigns is reflected in the news coverage presented to the rest of the country. The analysis of whether a candidate does well or poorly and how accurate it is will depend on information provided in news reports. In an election year, the coverage of the candidates from a multitude of media sources at times may not truly reflect an accurate picture of a candidate or their positions. This can be a reflection of whether news sources agree or disagree with a specific position. While this is not always a problem, there are some organizations that slant their reporting of political events and the country is well aware of this fact and their positions. It has come to be a part of the political landscape.
In terms of comparing caucuses to primaries, they are similar and have the same impact in relation to delegate votes at national conventions for political parties. The straw poll may not necessarily reflect who will ultimately win the top spot when it comes time for the caucuses to take place, but it is a beginning. Votes being calculated from the straw poll will only reflect the wishes of those who voted, not necessarily the reflection of opinions throughout Iowa. Caucuses are not perfect just as primaries are not perfect. The opinions of voters can change over time. Any political event or political news will have an impact on the candidates running for office. Political events will impact voter opinion and can drastically change in a period of weeks or months.
The straw poll and the upcoming caucuses will set the stage for the political campaigns going forward. Candidates who do poorly and wish to continue the fight for the nomination will need to do better at getting their message to the voters. They must focus on presenting the facts as to why they are the better choice than their opponents. To do this they should not attack the person as an individual but focus on their opponent’s position on the issues and where they differ with the approach. The straw poll and the caucuses will also help identify those who may have a strong backing from the voters and those who do not. In the past, those who have won the Iowa caucuses did not necessarily win the nomination of their political party, though some have accomplished that objective.
Related articles
- Pawlenty downplays need to win Iowa straw poll (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
- Pawlenty: Managing Expectations for Iowa Straw Poll (blogs.wsj.com)
- Countdown to Ames: Key Iowa Event Fast Approaching (abcnews.go.com)
- Tim Pawlenty Hoping For Turnaround From Ames Straw Poll (outsidethebeltway.com)
- August will shake the 2012 GOP field (iowacaucus.com)
- The Case Against the Iowa Straw Poll (politicalwire.com)
- Ames, Iowa 2012 GOP Straw Poll Only A Month Away (virginiavirtucon.wordpress.com)
- You Want to Talk about Something Broken in our Politics? (outsidethebeltway.com)
