2012 Presidential Poll

Presidential Politics: Let's face it, 2012 won't be like the election of 2008. In 2008, both parties had major battles for the nomination...the double-open primaries. But, unless something crazy happens, and President Barack Obama decides to voluntarily become a one-term president (yes, I know, Republicans say he WILL be a one-termer, regardless of what he wants), only the Republicans will have the race to watch here. So, the question is, who will be in this race? It's now August 16th and the visitors to the Iowa State Fair this year numbered just a few: Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and next week former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. The big name carryovers from the last cycle, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, have made no stops to eat something on a stick and have no plans to come this week (at least as far I know).

The Iowa Republican website, wwwtheiowarepublican.com (If you didn't know about this site, I guess you could have already figured out by the site's name that it's the Iowa Republicans' website. But, oh, well!) released its 2012 caucus poll. The top 2 finishers probably shouldn't surprise much: Huckabee then Romney. But how about Gingrich as the number 3? And Palin, with all the national attention she gets for virtually every word she writes, speaks or Facebooks, finished fourth? Texas Congressman Ron Paul (Revolution!) rounds out the top 5. TPaw, the next-door neighbor, was no where to be found in the top finishers. Did you think he would do better? Do Iowans still have no idea who he is? At some point soon, for his sake, don't they NEED to know who he is for him to be competitive in 2012? Here are the results:

Mitt Romney - 18


Tim Pawlenty - 1


Sarah Palin - 11


Haley Barbour - 


Ron Paul – 5

John Thune - 1


Rick Perry - 


Mike Huckabee - 22 


Newt Gingrich - 14

Rick Santorum - *

Other (DNR) - 1

Won’t participate in the caucuses (DNR) - 1

Don't know (DNR) – 23

Refused - 2