Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and probably Fred Thompson are skipping the August 11 Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, but second-tier GOP candidate Sam Brownback sees it as a golden opportunity to break out of the pack and deal Mitt Romney a big setback.
Brownback announced on June 8 that he will compete in the Ames Straw Poll.
"I am excited and honored by the opportunity to participate in the Ames Straw Poll and I reaffirm my intention to compete in
Ames," said Brownback. "I stand in solidarity with the Iowa Republican Party leadership in recognizing the importance of this event. I look forward to going head-to-head against Mitt Romney. Iowa voters have a great responsibility and have always been influential in choosing the Republican nominee. People deserve to know where a candidate stands, and you don't declare yourself the winner before the game is played. I am confident that my message of uniting social and fiscal conservatives will resonate with Republicans across the Hawkeye State, and especially those attending the Straw Poll." Brownback challenged Romney and the other candidates participating in the Straw Poll to a series of debates across
Iowa that will highlight the candidates' differing stands on the issues prior to the Straw Poll. "This will be a great contest between a Midwestern conservative farmer and a Northeastern liberal Republican who has flip-flopped on fundamental issues and will find limited support in
Iowa as the summer goes on," said Rob Wasinger, Brownback for President campaign manager. "The Brownback campaign looks forward to this match-up as it will be a great opportunity for Iowa conservatives to decide the direction of our country and our party. In this regard, we expect to be very competitive."
Brownback's campaign set up a separate website, www.brownbackevents.com, to help organize his grassroots support for the Ames Straw Poll, and is offering supporters attending the event a free ticket and bus ride to get there.
Translation: Brownback is trying to turn Ames into Romney versus Brownback, and thinks he has enough campaign cash to do it.
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