Republican and Conservative political analysis and commentary

I've written a few times about various Republican candidates skipping the August 11 straw poll in Ames, Iowa, including Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Fred Thompson, and why that increases the pressure on Mitt Romney to do well in the poll and opens the door for someone to rise out of the second tier of Republican candidates. So, who in the second tier is competing in the Ames Straw Poll? Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore is opting out, but others in the second tier are salivating at the opportunity they've been handed.

Coming up later today: A look at how a number of second tier candidates are viewing the Ames Straw Poll.